Seasonably Cool Weather Ahead With Chance of Snow Mid-Week

A stubborn Arctic High will keep temperatures on the cool side this week across Manitoba. Sun will give way to cloud, though, as a developing low in the United States looks likely to bring snow to the region.

RDPS 24hr. Snowfall Accumulation Forecast (Kuchera SLR) valid 12Z Thursday February 5, 2025
A disturbance tracking through the United Staes will spread a swath of fluffy snow across southern Manitoba this week.

An Arctic high over the region will keep winds light and temperatures cool in Winnipeg today. A sunny start to the day will give way to mixed skies as some high-level cloud begins to stream into the area from the southwest. This cloud cover is part of a low pressure system developing in the United States that will continue to extend its influence northwards over the next couple days. The Winnipeg area should see a high in the -20 to -15 °C range this afternoon with westerly winds of 10 to 20 km/h.

Mixed skies will continue overnight, gradually clouding over by Wednesday morning. Temperatures will dip to a low in the -25 to -20 °C range.

Through the night, snow will spread out of Montana and across southern Saskatchewan and into Manitoba. A broad area of snow will gradually work its way across southern Manitoba through Wednesday into the evening.

Temperatures will climb close to around -15 °C on Wednesday with light southerly winds. The winds will shift westerly in the evening and pick up into the 30–40 km/h range as this system exits the region. Temperatures will dip to a low close to -20 °C.

Indications are that this system will bring a notable snowfall to the region. As the snow pushes into the cold air over the region, its snow-to-liquid ratios (SLR) will climb. These values will likely reach into the 20:1 to 25:1 range and bring rather fluffy snow to the region.

For areas along and south of the Trans-Canada Highway corridor, it looks like 5 to 10 cm is likely by the time it tapers off. For areas north of this, a broad swath of 10 to 15 cm is likely for the Parkland and Interlake regions.

A few flurries will linger on Thursday as west-northwest winds continue in the 30 to 40 km/h range. Skies will gradually clear thorough the day with highs around -15 °C. The wind will drop off with clearing skies on Thursday night as temperatures head into the -25 to -20 °C range.

Long Range Outlook

The long range forecast for Winnipeg looks quiet with no major snow events on the horizon. Arctic highs will continue to dominate the weather pattern here and bring seasonably cool weather right through next week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -10 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -21 °C.

Weekend Snow Brings Early-February Cold Snap to Southern Manitoba

A low pressure system crossing the Prairies will bring more snow to Winnipeg and area this weekend, but its cold front will usher Arctic air back into the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 06Z Sunday February 2, 2025
A passing low pressure system will bring light snow and another day of seasonably mild temperatures before Arctic air pushes back into the area.

A cold front slumped through the region yesterday evening, northerly winds and cooler temperatures for the end of the work week. Daytime highs in the Winnipeg area will sit in the -20 to -15 °C range today as north winds of 20 to 30 km/h gradually ease. The seasonably cool weather will at least come with sunny skies.

The weather will turn this evening as a low pressure system building into the Prairies pushes cloud over into the region. The cloud cover will help keep temperatures warmer tonight, with lows staying on the warm side of -20 °C before beginning to warm overnight. A warm front will push into the region overnight, bringing some light snow into the region.

Heading through the weekend, a couple waves of light snow will move through Winnipeg with clouds and flurries between them. Temperatures will warm to a high near -5 °C on Saturday as this system pushes the Arctic front back north of the region , then drop to around -10 °C on Saturday night and hover around that mark on Sunday. The region will see southeast winds up to 30 gusting 50 km/h on Saturday ease to light overnight.

While the system moving through the Prairies this weekend will bring a total of 10 to 20 cm of snow to many areas west and north of Winnipeg, the Red River Valley will likely only see 5 to 10 cm of snow by the time it tapers off later on Sunday.

This system will push the Arctic cold front back south through the region on Sunday, bringing moderate northwest winds and colder temperatures. Skies will begin to clear on Sunday night with temperatures heading back down to -20 °C.

Long Range Outlook

Colder weather will settle into the region next week with daytime highs in the -20 to -15 °C for much of the week. A bit of moderation is possible mid-week as a system crossing the northern United States may spread some cloud and light snow into the region as it passes to the south. Cold weather will likely return for the end of thew eek as well with daytime highs possibly dipping into the -20s.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -11 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -22 °C.

Warming up in Winnipeg, but Colder Temperatures Lurk Nearby

Temperatures are warming up in Winnipeg, but a battle between warm and cold air is setting up over the province.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 06Z Saturday January 25, 2025
A cold front will sweep through southern Manitoba on Friday night, bringing gusty northwest winds and some blowing snow.

To end the work week, a warm front will push through the Winnipeg area this morning. This front will bring a couple centimetres of light snow and moderate southerly winds as it pushes through. The snow will ease midday behind the front with winds shifting to the west. Temperatures will climb to a high near -2 °C this afternoon.

More snow will move into the region this evening, driven by a cold front following the warm front through the province. Another couple centimetres of snow will fall along with northwest winds up to 40 gusting 60 km/h. These winds will send temperatures back down into the mid-minus teens tonight and bring some blowing snow to the region.

Saturday will bring cooler, near-seasonal temperatures back to the region with a high just under -10 °C. Northwest winds will continue through the day at around 30 gusting 50 km/h, then ease off in the evening. A few flurries will be possible in the morning, then skies will clear. Another warm front will push into the region overnight, warming temperatures from a low in the mid-minus teens up to around -10 °C by Sunday morning.

On Sunday, a southwesterly breeze will bring mixed skies as temperatures climb into the -5 to 0 °C range. Temperatures will continue to warm towards the freezing mark on Sunday night as westerly winds of 20 to 30 km/h continue.

Long Range Outlook

Heading into next week, long-range forecasts show mild conditions for Winnipeg with daytime highs regularly near the freezing mark. There’s some uncertainty, though, as to whether the warmth will be able to stay in place over the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Monday January 27, 2025
A sharp temperature gradient will set up over Manitoba next week, with above-freezing highs and the south and Arctic cold in the north.

The Polar Vortex is forecast to dip southeast into eastern Canada, and a strong temperature gradient will likely set up across Manitoba as a result. Daytime highs could reach above freezing over parts of southern Manitoba while temperatures into the -20s and -30s will be possible over northern Manitoba. With such a strong temperature gradient in place over the province, minor changes in front location could result in large swings in expected temperatures.

It will likely be a mild week next week, but minor features could also result in brief outbreaks of rather cold temperatures later in the week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -12 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -23 °C.

Bitter Cold Slowly Loosens Its Grip on Southern Manitoba

Brisk southerly winds will move through southern Manitoba today as the bitter cold eases across the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 15Z Tuesday January 21, 2025
Moderate southerly winds will develop in the cold temperatures over the Red River Valley this morning.

It’s a cold start to the day, but a low pressure system dropping into the region from northern Saskatchewan is slowly dragging some milder temperatures back towards the region. It will push a warm front towards the region this morning, bringing light snow to the Red River Valley alongside strengthening southerly winds.

Those winds will climb to 40 gusting 60 km/h hour this morning. Combined with the falling snow, the recent cold, and the ice crystals that fell across the region over the weekend, it’s likely that we’ll see widespread blowing snow through the Red River Valley with some near-blizzard conditions possible on area highways running west-east.

Those southerly winds will keep wind chill values locked into the -30s despite the temperature warming into the -20 to -15 °C range.

As the low moves into southern Manitoba this afternoon, the winds will ease as the light snow mostly pushes out of the region. Some lingering flurries will be possible into the evening as temperatures reach as high as around -15 °C.

The low will exit the region overnight, bringing northerly winds back that usher in another push of Arctic air. Temperatures will dip close to -20 °C on Tuesday night under clearing skies. Temperatures will only recover a few degrees on Wednesday with breezy northwest winds around 30 gusting 50 km/h. Some local blowing snow is likely in the areas surrounding Winnipeg and skies should be partly cloudy to mixed.

Temperatures will head back into the -30 to -25 °C range on Wednesday night, but easing winds should keep wind chill values to the mid-minus 30s or so.

Thursday will be a cool day with temperatures returning to a high in the low minus teens under sunny skies.

Long Range Outlook

On Friday, a low pressure system moving through the southern Arctic will push a much broader swath of milder temperatures across the Prairies. For Winnipeg, this will mean temperatures won’t drop much on Thursday night as southerly winds up to 30 gusting 50 km/h redevelop through the Red River Valley.

On Friday, more cloud and light snow will move through the region as temperatures warm back up into the low minus single digits.

The weekend should bring pleasant winter weather with near-seasonal temperatures across the Red River Valley with a couple chances of light snow.

Looking ahead to the longer-range trends, it looks like January should wrap up trending on the milder side, though early February could bring another outbreak of bitterly cold air. There are no major snowfall events in the short or medium-range outlook for the region.

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