An Arctic high building into the Prairies will bring seasonably cold temperatures and a bit more sunshine to southern Manitoba.
Cold temperatures will sit entrenched across the Prairies this week.
Colder temperatures are the story this week as a lobe of the polar vortex slumps into the northern Prairies. It will bring with it a persistent northerly flow that will build an Arctic ridge across the Prairies through the week.
Disturbances grazing by the region will bring a mix of sun and cloud to the region this week, but temperatures will be uniformly cold. Daytime highs in Winnipeg will sit near the -20 °C mark through the rest of the week with overnight lows generally in the -25 to -30 °C range.
With such cold overnight lows, its possible that the region will see extreme cold warnings at times this week for wind chill values dipping to the -40 mark.
No significant snow will fall across the region this week, but a weak disturbance passing by to the south will spread some snow across the region on Wednesday. Accumulations will be minimal with just a centimetre or two possible by the time it tapers off overnight.
Long Range Outlook
Cold conditions will continue into the Christmas weekend, but by Sunday the worst should begin to break. Heading into next week, warmer weather will move into the region along with some more light snow.
Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -11 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -21 °C.
Temperatures will cool through the weekend as light snow lingers on the back-side of the departing Colorado Low.
Light snow will continue to fall over the next couple days in southern Manitoba. Accumulations will be relatively light, though, with only 2 to 5 cm likely by Saturday evening.
The Colorado Low that brought accumulating snow to the region over the past few days is gradually trundling eastwards, but its slow departure will mean both gradual cooling and lingering snow. In Winnipeg, this means cloudy conditions with periods of light snow over the next few days.
Accumulations will be relatively light over the next few days at just a couple centimetres or so each day. But with cooling temperatures, the persistent north wind and drier snow will result in plenty of blowing and drifting snow.
Temperatures will slide to around -10 °C this afternoon, then continue to drop over the next day. Expect lows around -12 °C tonight, then temperatures continue to slide into the mid-minus teens on Saturday.
Temperatures will stabilize for Sunday into Monday at seasonably cool values, but there will continue to be a chance of light snow.
Long Range Outlook
Heading into next week, a major pattern change is underway across the Prairies. A lobe of the Polar Vortex will detach and slump into the Prairies, bringing with it much colder temperatures. Beginning early next week, temperatures in southern Manitoba will begin to plummet. Daytime highs will fall into the -20s with overnight lows dipping close to -30 °C.
That stretch of colder weather will likely last much of the week, but some moderation back towards seasonal temperatures looks to be in store by the weekend.
At least we should see the sun more next week!
Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -10 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -20 °C.
A Colorado Low moving into the American Mid-West will spread snow northwards into southern Manitoba this week with significant amounts possible.
Snowfall accumulations will climb to significant amounts as a prolonged snowfall event begins on Tuesday night and persists until Friday. These accumulations are from one weather model and should be taken more as a signal for snowfall accumulations of 15 to 30 cm rather than a precise forecast.
The weather driver over the next few days will be a Colorado Low passing to the south. It will eject northwards into Nebraska today, spreading heavy snow across the Dakotas. Some light snow will persist across southwest Manitoba today, but the organized, heavier snow will begin to breach the international border later in the day. Temperatures will be mild through the Red River Valley with daytime highs near the freezing mark and easterly winds picking up into the 20 to 30 km/h range.
Organized snow will lift north through the Red River Valley overnight and persist into Wednesday as moisture travels northwards along a stalled inverted trough.. The snow will likely arrive in waves through the day on Wednesday with highly variable accumulations across the Red River Valley. The heaviest snow in the region will fall along the western escarpment where easterly winds blowing up the slope will result in more intense snowfall rates. Snowfall accumulations ranging from 2 to 5 cm up to as much as 20 to 30 cm will be possible by Thursday morning.
What happens after that is a bit of an interesting interaction with a renewed shot of moisture into the Colorado Low on Thursday, the still-stalled inverted trough hanging back from the system, and a cold front advancing towards the region. There is reasonable confidence that another wave of moderate to heavy snow will push into southern Manitoba from the east later on Thursday. This band of snow will persist through Thursday night, gradually pushing towards the Saskatchewan border. This system could bring another 10 to 20 cm of snow to the Red River Valley by Friday morning, including for Winnipeg.
Daytime highs will hover near freezing through Wednesday, then gradually drop through the day Thursday and Friday to around -5 °C. So while temperatures will be pleasant, most of the region is poised to receive anywhere from “some” to “a lot” of snow over the next few days.
Long Range Outlook
Periods of light snow will likely linger into the weekend, but accumulations will be much less. Daytime highs will fall through the weekend as colder air filters in behind this whole disturbance. While Saturday will be pleasant with a high near -8 °C, by Sunday temperatures will fall into the minus mid-teens and barely recover.
Even colder weather will start next week, but a bit of moderation will occur as another disturbance brings snow to the region on Tuesday into Wednesday.pi…
Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -10 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -19 °C.
A surge of very cold Arctic air is pushing through Manitoba, but it will be short-lived with a return to seasonal temperatures just around the corner.
Bitterly cold temperatures will settle over southern Manitoba overnight into Wednesday morning. Temperatures form southeastern Saskatchewan across southern Manitoba will drop into the -30 to -40 °C range.
The Polar Vortex has shifted from the High Arctic southwards into Hudson Bay, sending a surge of very cold Arctic air into the Prairies. A weak disturbance will round the base of the Polar Vortex today, spawning a weak low in North Dakota. This low will track eastwards with an inverted trough that runs northwards into Manitoba.
This system will spread cloud and light snow across southern Manitoba today. Most areas will see 1 to 3 cm of snow by the time it tapers off this evening. It will also be cold, with temperatures struggling to rebound into the -15 to -20 °C range, bolstered only by cloud cover.
Skies will clear out tonight as an Arctic high barrels into the province. With clear skies, temperatures will plummet tonight. Winnipeg will see a low in the -30 to -35 °C early Wednesday morning. Fortunately winds will be light, so wind chill won’t be a major factor, inasmuch as it matters when its already so cold.
With the high in place, Wednesday will be clear and cold. Temperatures will recover to around -20 °C by late in the afternoon with increasing southerly winds. Wind chill values will sit in the -30 to -35 range by the evening.
Fortunately, those breezy southerlies are a sign of warmer weather beginning to work its way into the region. Temperatures will rise towards the mid-minus teens on Wednesday nights, the continue climbing towards -10 °C on Thursday.
There will be a bit of cloud around on Wednesday night, but Thursday should bring mainly sunny skies.
Temperatures will head to a low in the mid-minus teens on Thursday night with increasing cloudiness.
Long Range Outlook
Temperatures will continue to warm on Friday, reaching a high close to -5 °C with mostly cloudy skies. Some light snow is likely on Friday night, but accumulations will be minimal.
That will mark the transition to a much cloudier, but warmer pattern. The region will see plenty of cloud cover through the weekend and into next week, but daytime highs will climb close to the freezing mark.
Some light snow will be possible on several days, beginning Sunday through Tuesday, with a gradual return to near-seasonal temperatures during that period.
So, the forecast is the ol’ Winnipeg dilemma: bone-chilling cold and plenty of sun, or pleasant winter warmth with socked in cloud cover. Hopefully there’s a little bit to like in the forecast for everyone.
Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -8 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -17 °C.
