In Pictures: Snow blankets Calgary

The first snow of the season has fallen in Calgary.

The wintry weather came as something as shock to many residents, as the temperature on Sunday soared to a summery 26C.

By Monday, the temperature could only struggle to 4C.

Snow accumulated across many parts of the city, with the national meteorological service warning that up to 5cm could be seen in some parts.

The heavy snow weighed down branches, pulling down a number of trees. This in turn led to power cuts in some parts of the city.

Residents who are used to struggling through about six months of wintry weather were dismayed at the snow, which has fallen much earlier than recent years.

On average Calgary sees 4 cm of snow in September, but it usually falls much later in the month and over the last few years, Calgary has seen far less snow than usual.

The last time it snow in September was in 2010, when just 0.2cm dusted the landscape.

Despite the heavy snow seen this year, it is by no means a record. In 1972, over 37cm of snow fell in the month.

The weather is expected to stay cool over the next few days, but no more significant snow is likely. From Thursday onwards, the temperatures will rise significantly, bouncing back over 20C by the beginning of next week.