Colder Weather Finally on the Way for Winnipeg

A series of cold fronts will slump through Manitoba this week, gradually bringing colder weather into the region. Along with a chance of flurries, Winnipeg could see its first encounter with colder winter temperatures of the season by the coming weekend.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Thursday January 4, 2023
By the second half of the week, much colder air with temperatures below -30 °C will begin to build into northern Manitoba.

Tuesday will start with northwest winds near 20 km/h through the Red River Valley and increasing cloudiness as a cold front slump into the region. A chance of flurries will develop for the afternoon in Winnipeg, but no more than a centimetre or two (at most) is likely. Temperatures will climb to a high near -4 °C — a tad cooler than yesterday — and then dip to a low in the -15 to -20 °C range tonight as the clouds break up. The chance for flurries will extend into the evening before tapering off.

An area of high pressure will move through southern Manitoba on Wednesday, bringing partly cloudy skies and a high near -10 °C. Temperatures will dip back into the -15 to -20 °C range on Wednesday night with increasing cloudiness overnight.

On Thursday, a low pressure system crossing the province will drag milder air back into the Red River Valley. With cloudy skies, daytime highs will climb back into the -5 to -10 °C range along with southerly winds up to 30 gusting 50 km/h. Skies will stay mostly cloudy on Thursday night as a cold front slumps southwards; overnight lows will dip into the -10 to -15 °C range.

Long Range Outlook

The first work week of 2024 will end with cloudier skies and a high again in the -5 to -10 °C range. That will mark the last of the seasonably mild weather, though, as a major pattern change ushers in a colder weather pattern.

Heading into the weekend, multiple large-scale feature interactions will begin to draw the Polar Vortex westwards from the Baffin Island area. By early next week, it will sit over southern Nunavut, and is forecast to then drop into Manitoba through next week.

As this happens, significant amounts of cold air will begin to develop over the southern Arctic and northern Prairies. This will likely result in daytime highs in the mid-minus teens in much of southern Manitoba with temperatures dropping into the -30’s over northern Manitoba.

Heading into next week, the cold air will continue to build to the north, and likely surge southeastwards sometime mid- to late-week. This could bring daytime highs down into the -20s with overnight lows potentially dipping to -30 °C.

Of note, this entire transition is forecast to occur with little to no snowfall.

Enjoy the last of the milder weather; it looks like harsher winter temperatures will be here in the near future.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -13 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -23 °C.

More Dry and Mild Weather Ahead for Winnipeg

With the Polar Vortex well north of its usual end-of-year resting spot, Winnipeg’s mild winter will keep on keepin’ on.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 06Z Monday January 1, 2024
Temperatures will dip down into the minus teens to ring in 2024.

That “deep winter” that Winnipeg so often sees settle into the region by the end of the year will be missing in action this year. Over the next few days, upper ridging building in from the west will continue to bathe the region in comparatively mild temperatures. A few weak disturbances will bring bouts of cooler temperatures, but temperatures will stay above-normal across the region.

There may be fog to start the day, but otherwise it will be mainly sunny with a high near freezing. Winds will pick up out of the northwest to around 20 km/h this afternoon, then strengthen overnight closer to 30 km/h. Skies will cloud over tonight as a weak low pressure system approaches. Expect a low in the -5 to -10 °C range.

Saturday will start with cloudy skies and a chance of flurries as a low centre collapses over southern Manitoba. As its frontal wave drops southwards, flurries will be possible across Southern Manitoba. The flurries will taper off in the afternoon with a high near -5 °C. Winds will hover in the 30 gusting 50 km/h range for the day, then begin to ease in the evening. Winnipeg should see partly cloudy skies with a low dipping into the -10 to -15 °C range as cooler air slumps into the region.

A ridge of high pressure should bring sunshine back to the region on Sunday with a high in the -5 to -10 °C range. Winds will be light. Temperatures will again dip back into the -10 to -15 °C for New Year’s Eve night with a southerly wind picking up to 20 km/h.

Long Range Outlook

2024 will kick off with another wave of mild temperatures. An upper ridge will draw a new surge of Pacific air eastwards to start next week. Daytime highs will climb back to around freezing to start the week, then begin to cool.

By mid-week, mixed to cloudy skies will be more common with above seasonal temperatures stabilizing over the region. Highs will sit in the -5 to -10 °C range with lows in the -10 to -15 °C range. No notable snowfall is in the forecast.

Thanks for reading and we wish everyone a great start to 2024!

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -13 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -23 °C.

Mild Weather Continues for Christmas

A building upper ridge over the Prairies through the next week will keep temperatures seasonably mild and dry throughout southern Manitoba.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Saturday December 23, 2023
Saturday will bring the warmest weather of the next 7 days with daytime highs climbing above freezing in many parts of southern Manitoba.

We’re off to a foggy start in Winnipeg today as warmer air pushes into the region aloft. The arrival of this warmer air will send temperatures climbing over the next couple days.

The fog will gradually lift through the morning, then the city should see a high just below freezing this afternoon. The mainly cloudy start should give way to mixed skies a bit later in the day. Temperatures will stay fairly steady tonight

On Saturday, low pressure system tracking eastwards through the southern Arctic will draw even warmer air into the region. Winnipeg should see a high near +2 °C on Saturday with mixed skies and light southerlies.

On Sunday, a cold will pass through the region, ushering in moderate northwest winds and cooler weather. A few flurries are possible in the morning as the cold front swings through, then temperatures will hover just below freezing for most of the day. There won’t likely be a lot of snow; Winnipeg could see a fresh centimetre or two with 2 to 5 cm possible to the southeast closer to the Ontario border.

Skies will clear out on Christmas Eve as winds ease and temperatures head to a low in the -10 to -15 °C range.

Long Range Outlook

A sharp upper ridge will build into the region next week and bring seasonably mild conditions, though not quite as mild as we’ll see on the weekend.

Beginning on Christmas Day and lasting through much of the week, Winnipeg will see mainly sunny skies and daytime highs around the -5 °C mark. Overnight lows will generally fall into the -10 to -15 °C range.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -11 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -22 °C.

Warming Up As Christmas Approaches

Temperatures in Winnipeg will climb back above freezing heading into to the weekend before Christmas.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Friday December 22, 2023
Temperatures will climb back above freezing towards the end of the week in southern Manitoba.

The weather this week will be marked by the depature of an upper trough over the eastern Arctic and the re-establishment of a zonal flow over the Prairies. This will allow a Pacific air mass to gradually scour the cooler air out of the region, sending daytime highs warmer.

Today, the region should see a sunny start with cloud cover gradually pushing into the region through the afternoon. Temperatures should climb to a high around -2 °C this afternoon. Skies will be on the cloudy side to night as a cold front drifts southwards into the region with a low close to -10 °C.

Wednesday will bring cloudier skies as southerly winds pick up to around 30 gusting 50 km/h. Temperatures will be similar to Tuesday; although warmer air is moving in aloft, the surface winds will be a return flow sourced from a departing area of high pressure. Skies will begin to clear out on Wednesday night with temperatures likely steady around -3 °C as a warm front lifts through the region.

The sun will reappear on Thursday as winds ease behind the warm front. Temperatures will climb close to the freezing mark in the afternoon, then drop just a few degrees on Thursday night. Friday will be, more or less, a repeat of Thursday with sunshine, highs near freezing, and light winds.

Long Range Outlook

Heading into the weekend, a deep southerly flow will send temperatures back above freezing as a low pressure complex devleops to the west. Temperatures will likley climb a few degrees above freezing on Saturday and then dip a bit below freezing as skies cloud over on Saturday night.

Christmas eve will likely bring cloudy skies and a high near freezing as a cold front slowly slides eastwards across the province.

For Christmas Day, Winnipeg should be on the back-side of the cold front. This will mean northerly winds and highs back down in the mid-minus single digits. The region could see some sun through the day as well.

That said, there’s no major cold outbreak on the horizon. Next week looks to stabilize in seasonably mild conditions heading into the last days of the month. No notable snowfall is expected in the next 5 to 10 days.

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