Tag: Showers

Seasonal Temperatures Return For The Weekend

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Winnipeg will see another cool day before seasonal temperatures return on Saturday and stick around through the weekend and beyond. Overall the upcoming weather forecast could be described as "fairly boring" with no significant weather events expected in the next 5-7 days.

Winnipeg will see mainly cloudy skies today as a weak upper-level disturbance moves across the province. With all the cloud and a weak northerly wind, below-normal temperatures will persist with a high temperature of just 7°C. The afternoon will bring a slight chance of some shower activity, but it is overall expected to be quite light and may remain north of the Winnipeg. Temperatures will be chilly tonight as temperatures dip to +2°C under cloudy skies.

Saturday will be another cloudy day in Winnipeg and mark the start of the next weather system that, while not directly impacting us, will set the stage for the weather over the region for the next few days. A fairly potent low pressure system will begin building out of Montana into South Dakota, spreading cloud and rain through North Dakota towards the Canadian border. A strong deformation zone should set up just south of the border, keeping the precipitation States-side. In Manitoba, this system will produce primarily cloud and wind. As mentioned, we expect mainly cloudy skies for Winnipeg, and much of the remainder of Southern Manitoba, on Saturday. The wind will pick up out of the northeast, strengthening to about 30km/h here in Winnipeg, with values closer to 40 gusting 60 km/h over southwestern Manitoba.

Some of the cloud will begin to slump to the south on Saturday night as temperatures drop to the -1°C mark.

GDPS Surface Wind Forecast valid 18Z Sunday April 24, 2016
A strong low pressure system (L) in South Dakota will bring windy conditions to the Red River Valley on Sunday.

Sunday will bring partly cloudy skies for Winnipeg as the main cloud shield slumps to the international border.[1] Temperatures will continue near seasonal values with a high of 10°C. Unfortunately, it will feel quite chilly as a brisk northeasterly wind approaching 40km/h develops over the Red River Valley. Temperatures will dip down to the freezing mark on Sunday night once again with winds tapering off.

A quick glance ahead into next week shows pretty much more of the same; some sun, some cloud, and temperatures at or just below seasonal. Not much is expected precipitation wise until a system comes through in the second half of the week and brings the potential for some rain to the region.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently 13°C while the seasonal overnight low is 0°C.

  1. This means that for areas in the southern Red River Valley, skies will likely be more mixed-to-cloudy.  ↩

Mixed Conditions Mark Transition to Cooler Weather

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Today will bring a mixed bag of conditions to Winnipeg and area before a cold front sweeps through the region this evening and ushers in cooler air from Northern Manitoba.

We’re off to a misty, drizzle-filled start to the day here in Winnipeg thanks to a large area of stratus cloud that expanded northwards out of the Dakotas overnight. This expansive area of cloud—stretching from southeastern Saskatchewan across southern Manitoba and into northern Ontario—will remain in place until later this morning; by midday, westerly winds will begin building into the region and help to break up the clouds and bring an end to the fog patches and drizzle.

The sun should make an appearance in Winnipeg this afternoon as temperatures head towards a pleasant high of 20°C. The sunshine will be relatively short-lived as a cold slumping southwards out of central Manitoba spreads another batch of cloud southwards.

GDPS 850mb Temperature Forecast valid 00Z Thursday April 21, 2016
A cold front separates above-normal temperatures in southern Manitoba from well below-normal temperatures pushing southwards through northern Manitoba.

When the cold front slides through this evening, there will be a slight chance of an isolated shower or thundershower. This activity is not expected to be particularly widespread and will taper off very quickly once the sun begins to set. Breezy northerly winds of 20-30 km/h will move in behind the front ushering in cooler air that will send Winnipeg’s overnight low to near +2°C.

Thursday will be a pleasant but cool day with just a few clouds and a high near 8°C. Winds will continue to be breezy in the morning at 20-30 km/h, but will gradually taper off through the day. Expect an overnight low near -1°C with increasing cloud.

Friday will bring mainly cloudy skies as a frontal zone sets up across the eastern Prairies. Winds will be light and there will be just a slight chance of some light shower activity. Expect a high near 8°C once again and an overnight low near +1°C.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently 13°C while the seasonal overnight low is 0°C.

Cool Weather With A Windy Weekend

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The cool weather will continue through the next few days with daytime highs struggling near 5°C below seasonal for early April. Heading into the weekend, the wind will be the biggest story as a low pressure system brings strong southerly winds to the region on Saturday and strong northerly winds on Sunday.

A ridge of high pressure situated over the province will bring cool temperatures, clear skies and light winds to Southern Manitoba today. In Winnipeg & the Red River Valley, temperatures will climb to a high near -4°C, some 12°C below seasonal values for this time of year. Tonight will be a cool night with overnight lows dipping below -10°C. Through the second half of the night, cloud cover ahead of an approaching low pressure system will begin spilling into Western Manitoba and towards the Red River Valley.

Windy Saturday

Saturday’s weather will be dominated by a fairly strong low pressure system moving across the province. The primary story for Winnipeg & the Red River Valley will be the strong winds associated with it.

RDPS 10m Wind valid 21Z April 9, 2016
Strong southerly winds (pink) will be in place over Southern Manitoba on Saturday.

Beginning mid-day on Saturday, strong southerly winds will develop over the Red River Valley southwards into the Dakotas. Winds will reach their peak by mid-afternoon with sustained winds of 50-60km/h with gusts up to 80km/h. The winds will then diminish in the evening as the low pressure centre moves over the region.

There will be a chance of some shower or flurry activity with this system on Saturday, but at this point it looks like a vast majority of the precipitation will remain to the north, primarily falling through Parkland Manitoba eastwards through the Interlake.

Temperatures will climb to around +2°C during the day under mainly cloudy skies.

Flurries Move in on Saturday Night Alongside Strong Northerlies

With the passage of the low occurring mainly on Saturday night, temperatures will remain relatively warm; by early Sunday morning the temperature is expected to dip to just -2°C. It will begin to feel a lot colder, however, as the low passes to the east and strong northwesterly winds begin moving in behind the system.

GDPS 10m Wind valid 18Z April 10, 2016
Strong northwesterly winds (pink) will be in place over Southern Manitoba on Sunday.

Sunday will be another cloudy day with decent chance of some flurry or light snow activity as temperatures climb to a high of +1°C. Winds will strengthen out of the northwest to 40-50km/h with gusts up to 60km/h. The wind ease to 30km/h or so on Sunday night as temperatures dip to -8°C for a low.

Long Range: Heading Into A Warming Trend

NAEFS 8-14 Day Temperature Anomaly Forecast — Valid April 15-22, 2016
NAEFS 8-14 Day Temperature Anomaly Forecast — Valid April 15-22, 2016

After a lengthy stretch of below-normal temperatures, it’s beginning to look like we’ll finally see a taste of spring in the second half of next week as an upper-level ridge begins shifting eastwards and spreading milder air into Manitoba. Daytime highs of will climb towards 10°C by the end of next week. No significant precipitation is expected through the next 4-8 days at the moment.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently 8°C while the seasonal overnight low is -4°C.

Arctic Blast Incoming

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A major shift in the overall weather pattern will bring a blast of Arctic air to Winnipeg for the end of the week, ushered in by unpleasant and strong northerly winds and the now-infamous Polar Vortex. Fortunately, the cold snap looks to be short-lived as the coldest air will rotate off towards Eastern Canada quickly and near-seasonal temperatures return early next week.

Today will remain pleasant with above-seasonal warmth in place as temperatures climb to around the 9°C mark for Winnipeg’s daytime high. Skies will start off sunny, but become mixed through the afternoon as cloud begins spreading in ahead of a low pressure system that will impact the province later today and tomorrow. Showers and flurries will push into western Manitoba this afternoon, but will remain west of the Red River Valley for the most part until tomorrow.

Here in Winnipeg, skies will be cloudy tonight as the temperature drops to a low near 0°C.

RDPS 12hr. precipitation forecast valid 00Z Friday April 1, 2016
Scattered showers and flurries are expected across Southern Manitoba on Thursday

Thursday will be mainly cloudy with a chance of showers or flurries throughout much of the day. The first of two cold fronts will swing through in the afternoon, ushering in strong northerly winds of 40 gusting 60 km/h. Temperatures will climb to 4-5°C for the daytime high, but much cooler air will work into the region tonight, sending overnight lows to around -8°C.

Friday will also bring cloudy skies with a high near +2°C as another low pressure system moves through brining a decent chance for some more snowfall through the afternoon/evening. Behind the system, another shot of strong northerly winds, this time as strong as 50 gusting to 70 km/h. Temperatures will fall to a low near -10°C on Friday night.

Long Range

The weekend will be cool with below-normal temperatures as the Polar Vortex grazes Manitoba as it rotates eastwards into Ontario.

GDPS forecast 500mb height anomalies valid 18Z Saturday April 2, 2016
GDPS forecast 850mb (~ 1.5km AGL) temperature anomalies valid 18Z Saturday April 2, 2016

The Polar Vortex is easily seen by abnormal 500 mb heights (pictured above over Ontario in pink/purple) and will bring below-normal temperatures to much of Manitoba throughout the weekend with daytime highs near the freezing mark. Alongside the cool weather will also come mainly cloudy skies, but no precipitation is expected.

Temperatures will rebound back towards seasonal next week with precipitation confined to a weak disturbance mid-week that could potentially bring a couple cm of snow or few mm of rain, depending on temperatures & timing.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently 5°C while the seasonal overnight low is -6°C.