We're ending November with a fairly quiet weather weekend

In only a few short days, winter will officially be here — well, meteorological winter, which starts Dec. 1 — and I can stop tiptoeing my way around that word in my forecasts. I can actually say winter! 

I'm mostly joking of course, since our last few weeks across the North have certainly been a wintry mix of weather. Gusting winds, snowfall and blizzard or near-blizzard conditions have been the norm, and our latest system is currently dissipating east of Baffin Island. 

But in a clear and chilly fashion, November is ending on a fairly quiet note — at least through most of the North. 

Snow, gusting winds for southern Yukon

Heading through Saturday, the big weather-maker to watch this weekend is in the Gulf of Alaska, and it's set to bring snow and gusting winds. 

Now, there is still some model variation on exact snowfall amounts as this system pushes in, but the powerful low is set to make its way into the territory starting early Saturday morning.

Currently, models suggest that between 10 and 20 centimetres are set to fall in both Haines Junction and Carcross, Yukon, through Saturday night. As well, gusting winds up to 60 km/h are expected. 

As of Friday, winter storm watches were in effect through Juneau and Haines, Alaska, and a winter storm warning was issued for Haines Road in British Columbia and Yukon. This warning was for up to 25 centimetres of snowfall, particularly between Pleasant Camp and the Chilkat Pass in B.C. 

Then it will send a low and snow across the North

As the system moves into Yukon on Saturday, a low will form that will send a few centimetres of snow right across the North. Mayo, Yukon, will see snow on Saturday afternoon and evening, then snow is headed through the Sahtu region in the N.W.T. 

After that, the low will head toward northern Baffin Island, bringing a few centimetres of snow through Baker Lake, Gjoa Haven, Resolute, Rankin Inlet, Coral Harbour, Kugaaruk, Sanirajak, Igloolik and Arctic Bay, Nunavut.

But this low is fairly fast-moving, and before and after it moves through, things remain chilly and clear. 

End of November brings last burst to Great Slave Lake

With one day of the month left after the weekend, there is one more November system to talk about. And that is a low-pressure system moving through B.C. and northern Alberta, which will head toward Great Slave Lake in the N.W.T. on Monday afternoon. 

Communities in the North and South Slave regions will end November with one last burst of snowfall to the tune of eight to 15 centimetres and gusting winds of up to 60km/h.

Then meteorological winter will officially be here!