An Alberta clipper, also known as an Alberta low, Alberta cyclone, Alberta lee cyclone, Canadian clipper, or simply clipper, is a fast-moving low-pressure system that originates in or near the Canadian province of Alberta just east of the Rocky Mountains and tracks east-southeastward across southern Canada and the northern United States to the North Atlantic Ocean.[1][2][3]
Alberta clippers constitute a major winter-season storm track for extratropical cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere, tracking across the continent in 2–3 days while affecting weather in parts of the Prairies and central provinces of Canada, as well as the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and New England portions of the United States. They are associated with cold, dry continental air masses and generate small-scale, short-lived weather events typically producing 8–15 cm (3.1–5.9 in) of snow in a 3-6 hour period. However, they can precipitate sudden temperature drops and sharp winds leading to local blizzard conditions, especially when interacting with moisture from the Great Lakes.[4][5]
- ^ "Alberta clipper". Glossary of Meteorology. American Meteorological Society. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
A low pressure system that is often fast-moving, has low moisture content, and originates in western Canada (in or near Alberta province). In the wintertime, it may be associated with a narrow but significant band of snowfall, and typically affects portions of the plains states, Midwest, and East Coast.
- ^ "Alberta Clipper". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
a fast-moving low-pressure weather system that develops east of the Rocky Mountains in western Canada during winter months and moves to the east-southeast across central Canada and into the northern U.S.
- ^ Serralheiro-O'Neill, Benjamin (2021-06-17). "Alberta Clipper". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 2021-09-07.
An Alberta Clipper is a type of low-pressure weather system that forms in Alberta or nearby, on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains.
- ^ Thomas, Blaine C.; Martin, Jonathan E. (2007-04-01). "A Synoptic Climatology and Composite Analysis of the Alberta Clipper". Weather and Forecasting. 22 (2): 315–333. Bibcode:2007WtFor..22..315T. doi:10.1175/WAF982.1. S2CID 59456654.
- ^ Thurlow, Dave. "Alberta Clipper". The Weather Notebook. Archived from the original on 18 March 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-16.