Category: Forecasts

Clouds Move In As Temperatures Warm

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Cloudier conditions will move back into Winnipeg as a major pattern change brings long-term warming to the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 12Z Saturday December 21, 2024
Warmer weather will begin working east across the Prairies on Friday night.

After a sunny start today, cloud cover will gradually build into southern Manitoba as warmer air gradually pushes across the Prairies. The weather pattern over the next week or longer will be heavily impacted by the large-scale shift of the upper-level weather pattern. The Polar Vortex, which has been anchored over Baffin Island in Canada’s Eastern Arctic, is shifting back towards the North Pole, and will then continue to move into the Arctic Ocean north of Siberia. This will allow Pacific air to wash east across the Prairies, sending temperatures, eventually, to well above seasonal values.

For Winnipeg, skies should become mixed later this afternoon and cloudy overnight. Temperatures will climb to a high near -18 °C with light winds shifting southerly.

Skies will cloud over tonight with south winds picking up to around 20 km/h. Temperatures will dip into the -20s this evening, then warm to around -15 °C by morning with the thickening cloud.

The weekend will bring cloudy skies to Winnipeg with highs just below -10 °C on Saturday and just a bit warmer than -10 °C on Sunday. Some light snow will be possible on Saturday as a warm front pushes across the region, but no notable accumulations are expected. Overnight lows will sit in the -15 to -10 °C range both Saturday night and Sunday night. Additionally, southerly winds of 30 to 40 km/h will develop over the region for Saturday, but should be calmer on Sunday.

Long Range Outlook

Heading into the holidays, warmer weather will continue to build across southern Manitoba. Temperatures will climb to around 0 °C by Christmas Day, then continue to warm into the 0 to +5 °C range for much of the rest of the week.

No significant precipitation is expected next week. The warmer conditions will last through next weekend, then a crash back towards colder weather is likely for the new year.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -11 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -21 °C.

Colder Winter Weather Settles In

Brad 1 Comment

After a mild weekend that brought cloud, freezing drizzle, and a fresh coating of snow, colder weather will settle over southern Manitoba this week.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 15Z Wednesday December 18, 2024
Parts of the Prairies will see bitterly cold temperatures on Wednesday morning as an Arctic high moves through the region.

As the low pressure system that impacted the region trundles off to the east, a ridge of high pressure will build southeast out of the Arctic into Manitoba. This will bring gradually clearing skies to the region today. The lingering cloud will produce a bit of light snow through the day with temperatures hovering near -10 °C through the day. Skies will clear tonight in Winnipeg with temperatures falling to a low in the -25 to -20 °C range.

Wednesday will bring mainly sunny skies to the region as an Arctic ridge sits over southern Manitoba. Temperatures will struggle to recover much during the day with daytime highs only reaching around -20 °C in the afternoon.

The region will be saved from a bitterly cold night on Wednesday night, courtesy of a low pressure system sliding through the southern Prairies. Cloud cover and light snow will build into the region through the night. This will keep temperatures relatively warm with lows in the -25 to -20 °C range.

By Thursday morning, snowfall accumulations in Winnipeg will likely be 2 cm or less, but amounts will increase to the east-southeast up to 5 to 10 cm in Brandon and 10 to 15 cm in Melita. The snow will taper off on Thursday with clearing skies. Temperatures will climb to a high near -15 °C on Thursday. With clear skies and light winds, temperatures will head back down into the mid-minus 20s on Thursday night.

Long Range Outlook

Heading into the end of the week, Friday will bring more cold weather with a high in the -20 to -15 °C range, but then a significant pattern change develops as the Polar Vortex retreats towards the pole and an upper ridge builds into western Canada.

This will bring increasing cloud to the region as temperatures warm through the weekend with strengthening southerly winds. Temperatures will be well-above seasonal heading into next week with several above-freezing daytime highs possible!

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -11 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -21 °C.

Bitter Cold Eases Across Southern Manitoba

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The bitterly cold air that slammed into southern Manitoba earlier this week is on its way out, and after an unpleasant Friday, nicer winter conditions will develop for the weekend.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Saturday December 14, 2024
Breezy southerly winds will eventually bring warmer temperatures to southern Manitoba.

Although warmer weather will begin working its way into the Red River Valley today, it will be a rather miserable day outside. As an Arctic high slowly works its way east, its return flow of cold air will strengthen over the region. Southerly winds will strengthen into the 30 to 40 km/h range as temperatures climb towards a high in the mid-teens, but those winds will keep wind chill values in the -35 to -25 range through the day.

The southerly winds will continue into the night and temperatures will warm slightly overnight as skies cloud over.

Heading through the weekend, a low pressure system tracking across the southern Arctic will spread milder air east through the Prairies. With skies on the cloudier side through both Saturday and Sunday, temperatures will rise into the -10 to -5 °C range on Saturday and closer to the freezing mark on Sunday. It will be a bit of a breezy weekend, though, with southerly winds of 20 to 30 km/h on both days. Overnight lows will climb into the -10 to -5 °C range for the weekend.

Long Range Outlook

More snow is possible overnight Sunday into Monday as a low pressure system develops and moves through the Dakotas. Early indications are that 2 to 5 cm of snow are possible before this system moves out of the region on Tuesday. Colder weather will build in behind it with temperatures dipping back to seasonably cool conditions.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -10 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -19 °C.

First Blast of Bitter Winter Cold Incoming

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Winnipeg will see its first shot of bitterly cold Arctic air as a ridge of high pressure builds into the region this week.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 12Z Thursday December 12, 2024
An Arctic high will bring bitterly cold temperatures with lows in some places falling below -30 °C this week.

With the system that brought 15 to 20 cm of new snow to Winnipeg on its way out, the next system to shape the weather in the region will be an Arctic High building into the province from the north.

Before it gets here, though, a weak disturbance will move through the region today. It will bring a little bit of light snow, perhaps another 2–4 centimetres, today and then sweep a strong cold front southwards.

Temperatures will plummet behind the front as northerly winds of 30–40 km/h drive Arctic air southwards. A seasonable high near -10 °C today will quickly be forgotten as skies clear tonight and temperatures head to a low in the mid-minus 20s.

The Arctic High will be in full force through the rest of the work week. With plenty of sunshine, daytime highs will struggle to climb into the -25 to -20 °C range with overnight lows dipping back into the -25 to -35 °C range. Wind chill values will likely get close to -40 at times on Wednesday night and Thursday night.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures will begin to moderate on Friday as the high begins to weaken and the core of coldest air moves out of the region. Daytime highs should climb back above -20 °C but breezy southerly winds will have a bite to them and produce wind chills that make it feel much worse.

Temperatures will climb back to seasonal values for Saturday and continue warming on Sunday. The region will likely see mixed skies through the weekend.

A bit of snow is possible later Sunday into Monday ahead of colder temperatures slumping back into the region.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -18 °C.