Mild Weather Turns Colder For The Weekend

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Winnipeg will continue to see seasonably mild temperatures until a strong cold front pushes through on Friday.

Winnipeg will see increasing cloud today as a weak low moves into the region. With a high near -4 °C, the city will see a some light snow through the afternoon hours as the low passes. Winds will stay light today, and the snow will taper off tonight as the cloud cover gradually breaks up. Temperatures will dip to a near-seasonal low of -11 °C tonight. Winnipeg and area will likely see around 2 cm of snow by the time it tapers off.

On Thursday, another strong Pacific low will begin moving into the western Prairies. In southern Manitoba, a moderate southerly wind of 30–40 km/h will develop ahead of this approaching low. These winds will tap into milder air and send temperatures back up above freezing for the afternoon. Cloud will move in for Thursday night, which will combine with the breezy southerly winds to keep temperatures mild. Winnipeg should see a low near -2 °C. A few flurries are possible through the second half of the night as this system’s warm-sector trough moves through.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 00Z Saturday February 27, 2021
A potent cold front will sweep southwards through Mantitoba on Friday.

Friday will bring a marked change in the weather as a potent cold front surges southwards behind this low. Temperatures will quickly climb to around +1 °C by midday, but then strong northwest winds will move in as the cold front pushes through. Temperatures will drop to around -10 °C by the evening, then down to -20 °C overnight. Skies will stay mostly cloudy through the day with a chance for flurries once the cold front pushes through for the afternoon.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures will fall below seasonal values for the weekend with highs in the minus teens and overnight lows dipping down into the mid-minus twenties. After that, warmer weather returns next week with what looks like a prolonged stretch of mild temperatures with highs near the freezing mark.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -6 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -16 °C.

Spring-Like Warmth To Start The Week

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A Pacific low will bring breezy westerly winds and temperatures well above freezing to southern Manitoba today.

A Pacific low crossing the province has pushed a warm front through overnight, bringing breezy westerly winds near 30 km/h and a mild air mass to the region. Temperatures will climb to a high near 6 °C this afternoon in Winnipeg with even gustier winds as high as 40 gusting 60 km/h developing. A weak cold front will push through this afternoon, bringing more cloud cover and a chance of a few showers turning to flurries this evening.

The wind will shift northwestwards overnight as it eases and temperatures will dip to a low near -6 °C. Skies will stay partly cloudy.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Monday February 22, 2021
The southern Prairies will see spring-like warmth today.

On Tuesday, Winnipeg will see mostly cloudy skies as an Alberta Clipper drops from Saskatchewan into the Dakotas. Winnipeg shouldn’t see any snow from this system, but areas over the southwest corner of the province may receive as much as 5–10 cm of snow with amounts diminishing heading eastwards into the Red River Valley. Temperatures will warm back up to a high near -2 °C with a light north wind. The cloud cover will break up a bit on Tuesday night as temperatures dip to around -15 °C.

A ridge will move across the province on Wednesday bringing quiet weather to the region. Temperatures will climb to a high near -8 °C with light northwest winds and mixed skies.

Long Range Outlook

Another strong Pacific low will move across the Prairies in the second half of the week, bringing warm and windy weather back to southern Manitoba on Thursday. Heading into Friday, some rain or snow is possible, followed by a strong cold front on Friday night. Colder temperatures will move back in for the weekend with lows potentially dipping back into the mid-minus twenties. The cold weather will be short-lived, though, with near-freezing highs forecast to return early next week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -6 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -17 °C.

Warmth Finally Arrives in the Red River Valley

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A long-awaited warm-up will finally arrive in the Red River Valley this weekend!

A series of Pacific lows crossing western Canada will shunt Arctic air eastwards and push milder temperatures across the Prairies over the next few days. The first is beginning its eastward trek across the southern Northwest Territories today. While that will mean warmer weather for the western Prairies, southern Manitoba will stay under the influence of a weak Arctic ridge. It will keep highs to around -13 °C in Winnipeg with sunny skies and light southerly winds.

Temperatures in Winnipeg will dip to a low near -18 °C tonight with a few clouds moving in. Southerly winds will increase into the 20–30 km/h range by Saturday morning.

On Saturday, the Arctic low will push from Nunavut into Hudson Bay and drag a warm front eastwards across Manitoba. Brisk southerly winds of 30–40 km/h will persist Saturday morning and then gradually ease in the afternoon. Skies will cloud over as the warm front moves in and while some flurries are possible, the dry southerly wind should keep the snow out of the Red River Valley. Temperatures will climb to a high near -7 °C in Winnipeg.

The city will see mixed skies on Saturday night with a low near -9 °C. The wind will keep up out of the south at 15–25 km/h.

2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Sunday February 21, 2021
A push of milder Pacific air will reach southern Manitoba on Sunday.

On Sunday, another Pacific low will begin to push eastwards across the Prairies. It will push warmer air eastwards across the Prairies and bring widespread above-freezing temperatures to parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Here in Manitoba, temperatures should climb to around the freezing mark with southerly winds of 20–30 km/h. The city should see plenty of sun, giving a chance that some areas with darker surfaces (less snow, more concrete) might climb above the 0 °C mark.

The winds will keep up on Sunday night with increasing cloud. Temperatures will fall to a low near -7 °C early then gradually climb through the night.

Long Range Outlook

The Pacific low will cross Manitoba on Monday, bringing a wave of mild Pacific air with it. Temperatures will climb above freezing across much of southern Manitoba with brisk westerly winds and mixed skies. The mild weather will continue on Tuesday with temperatures returning to around freezing. The rest of the week will be a bit of a temperature roller coaster, alternating between near-seasonal and below seasonal warmth.

There will also be several chances for a wintery mix of precipitation as a series of impulses slide southeastwards across the Prairies.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -7 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -17 °C.

Gradual Warm-Up Begins

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Winnipeg will finally see temperatures warm back towards seasonal values through the rest of the week as the Arctic grip on the region weakens.

Temperatures in Winnipeg will gradually moderate through the rest of the week, followed by a push of much warmer Pacific air. Today will be the last day of lingering cold as the Arctic ridge hangs back into the region just a bit longer. Winnipeg will see a high near -17 °C and light south winds under mainly sunny skies.

A weak upper-level disturbance will move through the region tonight, bringing some cloud and a few flurries to the Red River Valley. The cloud will help keep temperatures slightly warmer tonight with lows “only” around -22 °C.

Another ridge of high pressure will move across the region on Thursday in the wake of the overnight disturbance. This will bring partly cloudy skies to the region as temperatures climb to a high near -13 °C. Skies will clear out for Thursday night with a low near -25 °C.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Friday February 19, 2021
Milder Pacific air will start pushing eastwards across the Prairies on Friday.

On Friday, the region should see mainly sunny conditions with temperatures climbing to a high near -12 °C. Temperatures will dip to a low near -17 °C on Friday night, but southerly winds will strengthen into the 20–30 km/h range overnight as a warm front moves towards the region. This front will also push some cloud into the region by Saturday morning.

Long Range Outlook

This weekend will bring a definitive close to the cold snap over the region as mild Pacific air washes over the province. Highs will climb to around -5 °C on Saturday to around 0 °C on Sunday with some breezy south-southwest winds. Some snow is possible on Saturday.

Highs may even climb above freezing for the first few days of next week before returning to near-seasonal values mid-week. A couple chances for snow exist through the first half of next week as a few disturbances slide southeastwards across the Prairies.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -8 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -18 °C.