Temperatures dropped considerably overnight in and around Swift Current, and they're expected to stay around 20 below or cooler into next week.

It was an even zero degrees celsius in Swift Current at 7 p.m. yesterday, and by 7 a.m. it was minus 20.

With the exception of Saturday (which has a forecasted high of minus 12), highs into the next work week are around minus 21 to minus 22, before rising to 11 below Monday and three below Tuesday.

Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Natalie Hasell with Environment and Climate Change Canada said this comes after a low-pressure system was replaced by an arctic ridge.

Add that to open prairie land, and that Saskatchewan weather we all know and love is here for a few days at least.

"You've had two cold fronts go through," said Hasell. "The first started relatively early and the second happened in the overnight period, or evening/overnight period, and now you're in the cold air. So you've seen a very big shift in terms of wind direction and air mass over the area. "

Hasell said there was a similar shift around December 21-22 where winds from the cooler north followed up a low-pressure system.

"And then as that large ridge of high pressure moves off (after Sunday), we should see our winds shift, and bring back warmer weather which we see in the forecast starting on Monday with minus 11 and really quite warm in the Tuesday forecast right now, so minus three is our current forecast. I think that's a bit too optimistic, we'll have to wait to see closer to the time to see what Tuesday looks like," said Hasell. "But again, if we're going to see a shift of two air masses, well the change can happen in the other direction as well. So we've just experienced from rather balmy at this time of year to cold. There's no reason why the opposite couldn't happen, as the warm air comes back to the region."

There's light snow in the forecast for today, and periods of snow projected for Saturday, which can make for less-than-ideal road conditions. Add in wind (upwards of 30 kilometres an hour today), snow can pick up off the field and blow, as well as refreezing of melted snow from yesterday's warmer temperatures (the high was 2.7 degrees), and there's more reason to be prepared when outside, especially for travelling.

Hasell suggests an emergency kit for the car, with a cell phone, and communication so people know when someone on the roads is expected to reach their destination. Should a vehicle break down, Hasell reminds motorists that they can use their car as a shelter, instead of voyaging out into the elements.