A Short-Lived Return to Seasonal Temperatures

Brad Leave a comment

Winnipeg will see a short-lived return to seasonal temperatures over the next couple days. The warm weather won’t be absent long, though, returning on Sunday and bringing a fresh batch of snow to wrap up the weekend.

Winnipeg will see one more seasonably mild day today as temperatures climb to a high near -3°C. The city will see a mix of sun and cloud through the day with light winds. The variable cloudiness will continue tonight, but a cold front slumping southwards will send overnight lows around -10°C. Winds will shift northerly at 15-20 km/h overnight.

Saturday will bring more cold air southwards across the Prairies in the wake of the cold front. Temperatures in Winnipeg will slowly drop through the day to around -14 by late in the afternoon. Skies will remain mixed, although a bit more clearing could work into the Red River Valley late in the day. Tomorrow’s overnight low is tricky; temperatures will drop under a ridge of high pressure moving through the region, but cloud cover moving into the region will start sending temperatures back the other way. It seems likely that Winnipeg will get to a low near -17°C before rising back to around -13°C by Sunday morning. If it stays clear a bit longer, then lows could dip down to around -20°C or even a slight bit cooler.

A series of cold fronts passing through the region will bring cooler temperatures to Winnipeg on Saturday.
A series of cold fronts passing through the region will bring cooler temperatures to Winnipeg on Saturday.

On Sunday, a milder air mass will once again work its way back into the region. Skies will remain cloudy in Winnipeg with southeasterly winds picking up into the 30-40 km/h range. Temperatures will climb to a high near -6°C. Sometime in the afternoon or early evening, snow will begin spreading across the Red River Valley. The snow will persist through the night as temperatures rise to around -3°C. The city could see around 5 cm of fresh snow by Monday morning.

Long Range Outlook

Monday will bring clearing skies with any remaining snow tapering off in the morning. Temperatures will be seasonably mild with a high near -1°C. The remainder of the week is looking on the cloudier side with temperatures swinging between milder and seasonable conditions as the city moves out of and into Arctic air masses. No significant snowfall is forecast after Sunday night’s accumulations for the remainder of the week.

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

More Warm Weather On The Way

Brad Leave a comment

Temperatures will soar well above seasonal values in Winnipeg as a flood of mild Pacific air washes over the southern Prairies.

A warm front pushing eastwards across the Red River Valley this morning will bring above-seasonal temperatures back to Winnipeg today. To start the day, Winnipeg may see a few flurries as the warm front pushes into the region. Once the front leaves, Winnipeg will see mixed skies with light southerly winds. Temperatures will climb to around -10°C by lunch and then inch towards a high of -8°C in the afternoon. Skies will cloud back over tonight as another warm front pushes into the region. This front will bring a chance of some light snow – and a risk of freezing rain – to the region late overnight into early Thursday morning. Temperatures will continue to rise overnight to around -2°C by morning.

Thursday will bring mainly cloudy skies to Winnipeg and the Red River Valley as a mild Pacific air mass spreads over the region. Temperatures will continue to climb to a high near 0°C with southwesterly winds of 20 to 30 km/h. Thursday night will bring mixed skies with a low near -5°C.

Temperatures will climb to near- or above-freezing across much of southern Manitoba on Thursday
Temperatures will climb to near- or above-freezing across much of southern Manitoba on Thursday

On Friday, the region should see plenty more cloud as temperatures once again climb to around 0°C. A low pressure system moving through the Interlake will bring southwesterly winds of 20 to 30 km/h to the Red River Valley on Friday afternoon. Winds will shift northwesterly on Friday night as temperatures dip to a low near -5°C.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures will remain mild this weekend with daytime highs in mid-minus single digits. Sunday and Monday may bring a chance for some light snow as a larger low pressure system develops and moves through the region. Slightly above-seasonal temperatures will continue into the middle of next week with variable cloudiness.

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

Coldest Temperatures of the Season Arrive

Brad Leave a comment

Winnipeg will start the week with some of the coldest temperatures so far this winter. Fortunately, the cold weather will be short lived with milder Pacific air returning for the second half of the work week.

An Arctic high will bring Winnipeg an outbreak of bitterly cold temperatures to start the week. The city will see well below-normal temperatures today as the high struggles to reach -24°C. Breezy northerly winds of 20 to 30 km/h will be in place this morning, which will combine with the cold temperatures to produce wind chill values in the -40 to -45 range.1 Those northerly winds will persist through much of the day, keeping wind chill values in the -35 to -40 range through much of the day. The wind will ease in the evening as temperature drop to the coldest so far this season. By early Tuesday morning, Winnipeg’s temperature is forecast to drop to about -31°C.

Winnipeg will continue to see sunny skies on Tuesday. Temperatures will warm slightly from Monday with a high near -21°C in Winnipeg. The wind will make things uncomfortable as it picks up out of the south into the 30 to 40 km/h range. This will once again produce wind chill values in the mid-minus thirties. The wind will continue overnight as temperatures will rise to around -17°C with increasing cloud.

Near-seasonal temperatures will return to Winnipeg on Wednesday. With southerly winds near 20 km/h, temperatures will climb to a high near -8°C. Skies will remain mixed with a small chance of some light snow. Temperatures will continue to rise on Wednesday night as the wind shifts westerly. By Thursday morning, the temperature in Winnipeg should sit near -4°C.

Long Range Outlook

The remainder of the work week will bring mild temperatures and a fair amount of cloud cover. The weekend may bring some sun for Saturday, but on Sunday it looks like temperatures will return towards seasonal as a cold front brings clouds and flurries to the region.

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

  1. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued an extreme cold warning for this yesterday afternoon. ↩

Winnipeg Sets Off On A Temperature Roller Coaster

Brad Leave a comment

Winnipeg will see temperatures swing from the deep freeze back to seasonably mild by the end of the weekend as an Alberta clipper pushes out an Arctic high.

Temperatures will be cold in Winnipeg today as an Arctic high settles over the region. Temperatures today will be seasonably cold in the Red River Valley at around -20°C. Breezy northerly winds this morning of 20 to 30 km/h will ease through the day. Then, attention turns to a potent Pacific system making landfall. As it moves onshore, it will push a warm front eastwards across the Prairies. That surge of warm air pushing across the Prairies will keep temperatures from dropping too much tonight. Winnipeg should see a low near -24 or -25°C before temperatures begin to moderate early Saturday morning. Skies will start the night clear, but should see cloudiness increase early Saturday morning.

Saturday will bring mainly cloudy skies to Winnipeg. Snow isn’t too likely, but a few flakes may fall through the day. Temperatures will return to seasonal values with a high near -11°C. Winds will become an issue in the afternoon, though, increasing out of the south to into the 30 to 40 km/h range. This will result in some blowing snow through the Red River Valley. Expect locally poor travel conditions on west-east highways in the area. Those breezy winds will continue into the night and keep temperatures mild. Winnipeg will see temperatures remain steady near -11°C under cloudy skies with a chance of light snow.

Total snowfall is forecast to be near 2-4cm in WInnipeg with this weekend's clipper system.
Total snowfall is forecast to be near 2-4cm in WInnipeg with this weekend’s clipper system.

By Sunday, that Pacific system will have developed into a punchy Alberta Clipper. It will move from central Saskatchewan into southwestern Manitoba on Sunday morning, dragging an area of snow southwards from the central Prairies. Winnipeg will see periods of snow through Sunday with light winds. While it will snow all day, accumulations should remain relatively low in the Red River Valley. Winnipeg may see 2 to 4 cm with decreasing amounts south of the city. Temperatures will be mild with a high near -7°C, but things will take a turn on Sunday night as a cold front surges southwards behind the clipper system. Winnipeg will see a low near -19°C with even colder temperatures on the way to start next week.

Long Range Outlook

Some snow may linger into Monday morning, but by the end of the day things should clear out. Then, another outbreak of Arctic air will move into the region. Daytime highs will plummet back into the low minus teens or minus twenties to start the week. Tuesday morning may even bring the first -30°C overnight low of the season!

Many long-range models are forecasting temperatures near -30°C bright and early on to kick off January 1, 2019.
Many long-range models are forecasting temperatures near -30°C bright and early on to kick off January 1, 2019.

The cold outbreak will be short-lived with seasonal temperatures returning mid-week. The end of next week should bring seasonably mild conditions with little to no chance for any accumulating snowfall.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -12°C while the seasonal overnight low is -22°C.