Windy Start To A Cold Weekend Ahead for Southern Manitoba

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An Arctic high’s strong northwest winds will bring unseasonably cold temperatures to Southern Manitoba this weekend.

RDPS 10m Wind Forecast valid 15Z Friday March 25, 2022
Strong northwest winds will be in place over southern Manitoba today.

Strong winds blasting through the Red River Valley today will usher in much colder temperatures. Light snow will taper off this morning, leaving behind cloudy conditions as northwest winds of 50 gusting 70 km/h persist through the day. Temperatures will recover only slightly to a high near -6 °C this afternoon.

As the high pushes into the region this evening, skies will clear and the winds will ease. Temperatures will head down close to the -20 °C mark tonight.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 09Z Sunday March 27, 2022
Very cold March temperatures will develop on Saturday night underneath the Arctic high over Manitoba.

The Arctic high will sit over Manitoba on Saturday, bringing temperatures some 10–20 °C below seasonal values to the region. Skies will be mainly sunny through the weekend with highs near -10 °C on Saturday warming to near -5 °C on Sunday. Overnight lows could dip below -20 °C on Saturday night. Warmer air will begin working into the region by Sunday evening and the low will be much warmer in the -10 to -15 °C range.

Long Range Outlook

Near-seasonal temperatures will return next week with highs back near freezing. Plenty of cloud cover will accompany it with what looks to be a good chance of some snow on Tuesday. The weather pattern looks pretty stable through the rest of the week with highs above freezing, lows below, and variable cloudiness.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 2 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -8 °C.

Spring Melt Continues Across Southern Manitoba, Cooler Weekend Ahead

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Southern Manitoba will see the spring melt continue for a few more days, but cooler conditions are on the way for the weekend.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Wednesday March 23, 2022
A low pressure system moving through the northern Prairies will bring very mild temperatures to the snow-free portions of the southern Prairies on Wednesday.

Mainly cloudy skies will linger behind the system exiting the region today as the moisture added to the air by the recent rain and melting snow keep things damp. A few sunny breaks will be possible over the next couple days, but organized clearing won’t arrive until Wednesday evening.

The region will see freeze-thaw cycles over the coming days with highs several degrees above freezing and lows below. This will further the — quite honestly, shocking in its rapidity — deterioration of Winnipeg roadways. If you value your tires, avoid those potholes!

Fog patches will also be possible overnight through the next several nights.

Some clearing will move into the region mid-week, but more cloud will arrive later on Thursday as another low pressure system crosses the northern Prairies. Thursday will be the warmest day over the next few with a high climbing above 5 °C, but a cold front will sweep through on Thursday night. It will usher in moderate northwesterly winds along with some more rain showers or flurries Thursday night into early Friday morning.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 12Z Friday March 25, 2022
By Friday morning, colder temperatures will return to the province with a moderate northwest wind across Manitoba.

Once that system exits the northern Prairies, a lobe of the Polar Vortex will shift southwards into southern Nunavut. As it does so, cooler air will also push into the Prairies. This won’t result in any sort of deep freeze, but highs will dip down below zero for the weekend.

Long Range Outlook

The spring melt will resume next week as highs climb back up above freezing again. It’s likely that the region will see a lot more cloud as the pattern turns more unstable again, and more rain or snow may be possible in the first half of the week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 1 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -9 °C.

Spring Melt Continues in Southern Manitoba

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Daytime highs will continue to hover above freezing across southern Manitoba, continuing the gradual spring melt across the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Saturday March 19, 2022
Daytime highs will climb a few degrees above freezing over the Prairie snowpack the next few days, and into the teens over the snow-free terrain of the southwestern Prairies.

Winnipeg will see several days of benign weather ahead. Temperatures will climb above freezing each day with lows dipping back below 0 °C. Dew points will stay below freezing, which will help ensure a more gradual snow melt across the region. The continued spring melt will produce variable cloudiness over the next few days with a continued chance for morning fog patches. Wind-wise, breezy southerlies will give way to lither westerlies later today, followed by lighter winds gradually shifting easterly through the weekend.

Long Range Outlook

The next disturbance to impact the area will move through later Monday into Tuesday. An upper trough will move into central North America, producing an area of rain extending from the Gulf Coast northwards into the central American Plains. That rain will be sheared northwards along a deformation zone into a secondary shortwave tracking through the Prairies. This will bring rain/snow mix to southern Manitoba; depending on the speed of the system, it could result in notable rainfall through the Red River Valley.

Otherwise, the forecast is much of the same. Daytime highs continuing to sit above freezing with a refreeze overnight. Dew points below freezing should moderate the rate of snow melt, helping with the flooding risk. Enjoy the gradual return to spring!

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 0 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -10 °C.

Warmer Weather Moves Into Southern Manitoba

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Springtime is on the way to southern Manitoba, but will also bring a wintry mix of precipitation on Tuesday evening.

RDPS Forecast Precipitation Type valid 06Z Wednesday March 16, 2022
A mix of rain, freezing rain, and snow will move east across southern Manitoba on Tuesday night.

The the polar vortex retreating into the High Arctic, milder Pacific air has begun to flood across the Prairies. Temperatures climbed above freezing across southern Alberta and Saskatchewan yesterday, and will continue into southern Manitoba today.

Temperatures will warm across southern Manitoba today, but the snowpack will limit highs to within a couple degrees above freezing. An approaching low pressure system will provide more cloud to the region today, followed by precipitation this evening.

Southern Manitoba will see a wintery mix of precipitation tonight. Rain is likely along and south of the Trans-Canada Highway corridor. North of that, freezing rain will fall through the Parkland and southern Interlake areas. And north of that, snow will cross through Swan River and the northern Interlake. Precipitation types will also mix along the boundaries, making for a bit of a mess in some areas.

In Winnipeg, 3–5 mm of rain seems most likely. When combined with the above-zero temperatures, this will work towards beginning to chip away at the snowpack in the area.

The precipitation will move out of the region early Wednesday, leaving behind cloudy skies, light winds, and temperatures hovering a degree or two above freezing. A cool front will sweep through on Wednesday evening bringing a few flurries to the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Thursday March 17, 2022
Temperatures will struggle to climb much above 0 °C over the deep snowpack over the south-central and southeastern Prairies.

Mixed to cloudy skies will stick around for the rest of the work week. Daytime highs will climb a couple degrees above freezing while overnight lows dip below.

Long Range Outlook

Warm weather will continue through the weekend with highs above freezing and variable cloudiness. This week should provide conditions favourable for a gradual snowmelt with dew point temperatures largely staying below the freezing mark and temperatures largely hovering just a bit above freezing.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -1 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -11 °C.