Gradual Spring Melt Continues

Pleasant spring temperatures and variable cloudiness will continue to aid in a gradual spring melt across the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Friday April 1, 2022
West-southwest winds will usher warmer spring temperatures into the Red River Valley.

The week will end with a beautiful day in the Winnipeg area. Breezy southwest winds will help highs climb up close to 10 °C this afternoon under mainly sunny skies. Westerly winds will continue for much of the night near 20 km/h. Temperatures will dip below freezing as a passing cold front ushers in more cloud early Saturday morning.

Behind the front, temperatures will be a bit cooler and skies cloudier. The high in Winnipeg will cool to just above the freezing mark on Saturday as northwest winds taper off late in the day. Much of the cloud cover will stick around Saturday night. The low dips into the -5 to -10 °C range.

Sunday will continue cloudier, but temperatures will moderate back towards seasonal values with a high near 5 °C. Temperatures will dip just below freezing on Sunday night, moderated by milder air moving in for Monday.

Throughout the next few days, dew point values will stay below freezing and continue to aid the gradual snowmelt across the region. Combined with a lack of precipitation, this is helping to ease the flood risk across the region.

Long Range Outlook

The weather pattern will turn a bit more unsettled next week as several disturbances cross through the province. This pattern change will bring warmer weather more consistently to the region with daytime highs closer to 10 °C through the week. Rain is possible on a few days next week, but there is still too much disagreement between weather models to suggest any certainty.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 5 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -6 °C.

Windy Start To A Cold Weekend Ahead for Southern Manitoba

An Arctic high’s strong northwest winds will bring unseasonably cold temperatures to Southern Manitoba this weekend.

RDPS 10m Wind Forecast valid 15Z Friday March 25, 2022
Strong northwest winds will be in place over southern Manitoba today.

Strong winds blasting through the Red River Valley today will usher in much colder temperatures. Light snow will taper off this morning, leaving behind cloudy conditions as northwest winds of 50 gusting 70 km/h persist through the day. Temperatures will recover only slightly to a high near -6 °C this afternoon.

As the high pushes into the region this evening, skies will clear and the winds will ease. Temperatures will head down close to the -20 °C mark tonight.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 09Z Sunday March 27, 2022
Very cold March temperatures will develop on Saturday night underneath the Arctic high over Manitoba.

The Arctic high will sit over Manitoba on Saturday, bringing temperatures some 10–20 °C below seasonal values to the region. Skies will be mainly sunny through the weekend with highs near -10 °C on Saturday warming to near -5 °C on Sunday. Overnight lows could dip below -20 °C on Saturday night. Warmer air will begin working into the region by Sunday evening and the low will be much warmer in the -10 to -15 °C range.

Long Range Outlook

Near-seasonal temperatures will return next week with highs back near freezing. Plenty of cloud cover will accompany it with what looks to be a good chance of some snow on Tuesday. The weather pattern looks pretty stable through the rest of the week with highs above freezing, lows below, and variable cloudiness.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 2 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -8 °C.

Spring Melt Continues Across Southern Manitoba, Cooler Weekend Ahead

Southern Manitoba will see the spring melt continue for a few more days, but cooler conditions are on the way for the weekend.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Wednesday March 23, 2022
A low pressure system moving through the northern Prairies will bring very mild temperatures to the snow-free portions of the southern Prairies on Wednesday.

Mainly cloudy skies will linger behind the system exiting the region today as the moisture added to the air by the recent rain and melting snow keep things damp. A few sunny breaks will be possible over the next couple days, but organized clearing won’t arrive until Wednesday evening.

The region will see freeze-thaw cycles over the coming days with highs several degrees above freezing and lows below. This will further the — quite honestly, shocking in its rapidity — deterioration of Winnipeg roadways. If you value your tires, avoid those potholes!

Fog patches will also be possible overnight through the next several nights.

Some clearing will move into the region mid-week, but more cloud will arrive later on Thursday as another low pressure system crosses the northern Prairies. Thursday will be the warmest day over the next few with a high climbing above 5 °C, but a cold front will sweep through on Thursday night. It will usher in moderate northwesterly winds along with some more rain showers or flurries Thursday night into early Friday morning.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 12Z Friday March 25, 2022
By Friday morning, colder temperatures will return to the province with a moderate northwest wind across Manitoba.

Once that system exits the northern Prairies, a lobe of the Polar Vortex will shift southwards into southern Nunavut. As it does so, cooler air will also push into the Prairies. This won’t result in any sort of deep freeze, but highs will dip down below zero for the weekend.

Long Range Outlook

The spring melt will resume next week as highs climb back up above freezing again. It’s likely that the region will see a lot more cloud as the pattern turns more unstable again, and more rain or snow may be possible in the first half of the week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 1 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -9 °C.

Spring Melt Continues in Southern Manitoba

Daytime highs will continue to hover above freezing across southern Manitoba, continuing the gradual spring melt across the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Saturday March 19, 2022
Daytime highs will climb a few degrees above freezing over the Prairie snowpack the next few days, and into the teens over the snow-free terrain of the southwestern Prairies.

Winnipeg will see several days of benign weather ahead. Temperatures will climb above freezing each day with lows dipping back below 0 °C. Dew points will stay below freezing, which will help ensure a more gradual snow melt across the region. The continued spring melt will produce variable cloudiness over the next few days with a continued chance for morning fog patches. Wind-wise, breezy southerlies will give way to lither westerlies later today, followed by lighter winds gradually shifting easterly through the weekend.

Long Range Outlook

The next disturbance to impact the area will move through later Monday into Tuesday. An upper trough will move into central North America, producing an area of rain extending from the Gulf Coast northwards into the central American Plains. That rain will be sheared northwards along a deformation zone into a secondary shortwave tracking through the Prairies. This will bring rain/snow mix to southern Manitoba; depending on the speed of the system, it could result in notable rainfall through the Red River Valley.

Otherwise, the forecast is much of the same. Daytime highs continuing to sit above freezing with a refreeze overnight. Dew points below freezing should moderate the rate of snow melt, helping with the flooding risk. Enjoy the gradual return to spring!

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 0 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -10 °C.