Mild Friday Followed by Winter Storm With Snow, Blowing Snow

Brad

A developing winter storm system will bring mild temperatures today followed by snow, blowing snow, and colder temperatures on Saturday.

Winnipeg will see mostly cloudy conditions today as temperatures climb to a seasonably warm -8°C. The warmer weather is moving into the region ahead of a potent low pressure system set to track across the Northern Plains later today. Much of the day will bring winds out of the southeast near 30 gusting 50 km/h, but they will diminish through the afternoon as a trough of low pressure moves into the Red River Valley.

Light snow will move into the region in the afternoon, then intensify through the evening and persist overnight. The wind will pick back up out of the northwest overnight to 30 gusting 50 km/h, combining with the snow to produce areas of reduced visibility in blowing snow. Winnipeg will see close to 10 cm of snow by Saturday morning with higher amounts expected to the southeast.

NAM 1km Reflectivity with Precipitation Type Forecast valid 03Z Saturday January 18, 2020
Moderate to heavy snow will develop over southern Manitoba on Friday evening.

Winnipeg will see temperatures remain steady near -17°C on Saturday with light snow continuing through much of the day. The wind will strengthen even more to 40 gusting 60 km/h, producing widespread blowing snow through the Red River Valley. Localized blizzard conditions may even develop, particularly through the western Red River Valley. The region will see about 2 cm of additional snow through the day. Winds will ease slightly to 30 gusting 50 km/h on Saturday night, bringing some improvement to the blowing snow across the region. Temperatures will dip to a low near -20°C on Saturday night.

RDPS 10m Wind Speed Forecast valid 15Z Saturday January 18, 2020
Moderate to strong northwest winds will be in place over southern Manitoba on Saturday.

Everything will move out of the region on Sunday with diminishing winds and clearing skies. Temperatures will climb to a high near -16°C. Winds will shift to the west through the day as an Arctic high passes by to the southwest. Skies should be clear on Sunday night with a low near -26°C.

Long Range Outlook

For those tired of the cold, the long-range forecast is looking pretty good. Cooler weather will stick around for Monday, but then a large-scale pattern shift will allow milder Pacific air to spread across the Prairies. Much of next week should see daytime highs in the -5 to -10°C range with overnight lows dipping into the minus teens. No major snow events are in the forecast. So if you’re cold adverse, just make it through one more cold snap and you’ll have plenty to look forward to!

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -13°C while the seasonal overnight low is -24°C.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 12Z Thursday January 16, 2020

Progressive Pattern Brings Mid-Week Cold Snap Followed Up By Mild Friday, More Snow

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Winnipeg will see bitter cold settle over the region for the next couple days, but milder temperatures will quickly move back into the region alongside snow on Friday.

Cold air will continue to build into Winnipeg today with highs climbing to a seasonably cold -19°C. Winnipeg and area will see mostly cloudy skies through the day with some light snow likely. By the evening, around 2 to 4 cm of snow will have fallen in Winnipeg with amounts climbing closer to 5 cm along the International border. Winds will pick up to around 20 km/h this morning and then diminish this evening. A potent Arctic high will continue to push into Manitoba from the west tonight, sending temperatures plummeting to a low near -30°C with clearing skies.

Thursday will be a cold day across the region as that Arctic high slides across the region. Temperatures will top out at just -23°C with light winds and sunny skies. Then on Thursday night, the next low pressure system will begin forming over the southern Prairies and Northern Plains. This system will develop as a low pressure centre crossing the Dakotas with a broad inverted trough extending northwards into southern Manitoba. As it approaches on Thursday night, winds will pick up out of the southeast to around 20 km/h. Cloud cover will spread into the region through the night with temperatures rising to around -17°C by Friday morning.

On Friday, milder temperatures will spread into the Red River Valley as the inverted trough slides through. Winnipeg will see a high near -8°C with a southeast wind continuing at 20 to 30 km/h. More snow will develop over the region on Friday afternoon and continue through the night.

NAM 24hr. Accumulated Snowfall Forecast valid 12Z Saturday January 18, 2020
Close to 10 cm of snow is possible across much of southern Manitoba on Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.

The wind will switch to the northwest on Friday night with temperatures dipping to a low near -17°C. Close to 10 cm of snow is possible in Winnipeg by Saturday morning from this system.

Long Range Outlook

The snow will taper off on Saturday with more seasonal temperatures returning to the region. Sunshine will return for Sunday and the start of next week as temperatures dip with highs dropping into the low minus teens. The cold will be short-lived, though, with near-seasonal temperatures expected to return mid-week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -13°C while the seasonal overnight low is -24°C.

Cold Friday Followed by Cloudy and Milder Weekend

Brad

A passing low will delay Winnipeg’s upcoming cold snap for the weekend, but the coldest weather of the season arrives next week.

An approaching Arctic ridge will bring sunny skies and seasonably cool temperatures to the region today. Winnipeg will see a high near -18°C with westerly of 20 to 30 km/h will result in wind chills near approaching -30 for much of the day. The winds will drop off this evening followed by temperatures dropping to a low near -30°C.

Hot on the heels of the Arctic high, another low pressure system will begin crossing the Prairies on Saturday. This system will spread cloud into the Red River Valley through the day alongside southeasterly winds of 20 to 30 km/h. Temperatures will climb slightly higher than Friday to around -16°C, but that wind will still make it feel rather cool with a wind chill near -25. The winds will persist through the night near 20 km/h with temperatures hovering near -15°C.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 12Z Saturday January 11, 2020
Temperatures in southern Manitoba will dip to -30°C or colder early Saturday morning.

Skies will stay cloudy on Sunday with temperatures climbing to a high near -12°C as the southwesterly winds slowly taper off. There will be a chance of flurries through the day, but by the time this low is arriving here it will be increasingly cut off from any moisture sources and be in the process of snowing itself out. The winds will die off in the evening as temperatures head to a low near -15°C.

Long Range Outlook

The seasonably mild conditions will stick around for Monday as another disturbance rolls through the region, possibly bringing some light snow. After it passes on Monday night, a potent Arctic high will slide south along the Rocky Mountains with broad ridging extending eastwards across the Prairies.

NAEFS 8-14 Day Temperature Anomaly Forecast — Valid January 17, 2020 to January 24, 2020
Long-range outlooks show a prolonged period of below-normal temperatures developing over the Canadian Prairies.

While Manitoba may avoid the coldest temperatures – they will be further west closer to the Rockies – it will still be a pronounced cold snap. Daytime highs will drop into the -20s (possibly even the low minus 20s) for much of the week. Some moderation looks possible with a low passing to the south on the weekend, but an even stronger push of cold air will likely move into the eastern Prairies after it passes. It’d be a good time to make sure your vehicle’s block heater is working and that your long johns are ready to go! Stay warm out there.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -13°C while the seasonal overnight low is -24°C.

Snowy Transition Into the Deep Freeze

Brad

A disturbance tracking through Manitoba will bring accumulating snow tonight followed by much colder temperatures.

It will be a seasonably cool day in Winnipeg today with a high near -16°C as clouds spread into the region ahead of the approaching disturbance. Winds will pick up out of the southeast this afternoon to 30 gusting 50 km/h, producing uncomfortable wind chills in the -25 to -30 range. Snow will spread across the Red River Valley later this afternoon, but will stay light until the evening. Temperatures will continue to rise through the night as the wind gradually eases.

Skies will stay cloudy on Thursday as the snow tapers off through the day. Winnipeg will likely end up with a total of 10 to 15 cm of fresh snow from this system. Temperatures will climb a bit to a high near -11°C. The cloud cover will begin to break up on Thursday night with winds picking up out of the west to around 20 km/h. Temperatures will head to a low near -22°C.

NAM 24hr. Snowfall Accumulation (10:1 Ratio) valid 21Z Thursday January 9, 2020
Southern Manitoba will see a widespread accumulating snow Wednesday night into Thursday with some areas receiving as much as 10 to 15 cm.

The sun will return on Friday, but unfortunately it’s because of a large Arctic ridge moving into the province. As a result, Winnipeg will see seasonably cold temperatures with a high of only -18°C. Those westerly winds will continue for much of the day, gradually diminishing through the latter half of the afternoon. Skies will be partly cloudy over the region for much of the day, but will clear completely for Friday night. With calm winds, temperatures will head to a low near -30°C.

Long Range Outlook

The cold weather will be sticking around for a while. Highs will generally be well below seasonal averages through the next week, except for Sunday when a passing low brings near-seasonal temperatures for a day. The sun should be around for Saturday, but it looks like mixed to cloudy conditions will develop for the end of the weekend through the first half of next week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -13°C while the seasonal overnight low is -24°C.