Tag: Snow

Blustery Return to Colder Conditions

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Winnipeg will see mild temperatures near the freezing mark today, but a cold front moving through tonight will send temperatures plummeting.

Following last night’s dump of snow, conditions today will be pleasant. With temperatures hovering near 0°C through the day, skies will clear with west-southwesterly winds picking up into the 20 to 30 km/h range. It will be short-lived, though: a cold front moving through this evening will bring deteriorating conditions to the Red River Valley. The front will pass through early this evening with winds strengthening to 40 gusting 60 km/h behind it. Cloud cover and flurries will move back into the region and temperatures will head towards a low near -11°C.

The combination of significant cooling, some additional light snow, and strong winds will produce poor driving conditions. Wet roads, some snow-covered, will likely re-freeze in the late evening or shortly after midnight as temperatures cool into the low single digits. The flurries and strong winds will produce widespread drifting and blowing snow. Drivers should prepare for the potential of icy roads and/or poor visibility if travel plans extend into the evening.1

The city will see cloudy conditions on Tuesday with falling temperatures as an Arctic high builds into the region. Moderate northwesterly winds of 30 to 40 km/h will persist as temperatures fall to around -15°C. The entire region will see a chance of scattered flurries through the day alongside localized areas of blowing snow. The wind will begin to ease on Tuesday night, bringing an end to the blowing snow. Unfortunately, the diminishing winds marks the arrival of the Arctic high; temperatures will dip to a low near -24°C on Tuesday night under clearing skies.

Moderate winds on Tuesday will usher in colder temperatures and support areas of blowing snow.
Moderate winds on Tuesday will usher in colder temperatures and support areas of blowing snow.

On Wednesday, Winnipeg will find itself entrenched in the Arctic air. Temperatures will climb to a high of just -17°C with light winds. Skies will likely begin the day clear, but a few clouds will work into the region in the afternoon. More cloud will build in overnight as a warm front pushes eastwards across the southern Prairies. This will help prevent overnight lows from dropping too much, only to around -21°C before climbing to about -18°C by Thursday morning. There will be a chance of snow late overnight.

Long Range Outlook

Forecasts show another disturbance tracking through the Red River Valley on Thursday that could bring another couple centimetres of snow to the region. Once it passes, the region will see a return to milder temperatures for the weekend with variable cloudiness. By Sunday, Winnipeg may see daytime highs near -5°C with overnight lows near -10°C, much warmer than seasonal for mid-January.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -13°C while the seasonal overnight low is -24°C.

  1. In a somewhat rare change of pace, the strong winds will be generally westerly, meaning it will be north-south running highways that see the greatest potential impact from blowing snow. ↩

A Short-Lived Return to Seasonal Temperatures

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Winnipeg will see a short-lived return to seasonal temperatures over the next couple days. The warm weather won’t be absent long, though, returning on Sunday and bringing a fresh batch of snow to wrap up the weekend.

Winnipeg will see one more seasonably mild day today as temperatures climb to a high near -3°C. The city will see a mix of sun and cloud through the day with light winds. The variable cloudiness will continue tonight, but a cold front slumping southwards will send overnight lows around -10°C. Winds will shift northerly at 15-20 km/h overnight.

Saturday will bring more cold air southwards across the Prairies in the wake of the cold front. Temperatures in Winnipeg will slowly drop through the day to around -14 by late in the afternoon. Skies will remain mixed, although a bit more clearing could work into the Red River Valley late in the day. Tomorrow’s overnight low is tricky; temperatures will drop under a ridge of high pressure moving through the region, but cloud cover moving into the region will start sending temperatures back the other way. It seems likely that Winnipeg will get to a low near -17°C before rising back to around -13°C by Sunday morning. If it stays clear a bit longer, then lows could dip down to around -20°C or even a slight bit cooler.

A series of cold fronts passing through the region will bring cooler temperatures to Winnipeg on Saturday.
A series of cold fronts passing through the region will bring cooler temperatures to Winnipeg on Saturday.

On Sunday, a milder air mass will once again work its way back into the region. Skies will remain cloudy in Winnipeg with southeasterly winds picking up into the 30-40 km/h range. Temperatures will climb to a high near -6°C. Sometime in the afternoon or early evening, snow will begin spreading across the Red River Valley. The snow will persist through the night as temperatures rise to around -3°C. The city could see around 5 cm of fresh snow by Monday morning.

Long Range Outlook

Monday will bring clearing skies with any remaining snow tapering off in the morning. Temperatures will be seasonably mild with a high near -1°C. The remainder of the week is looking on the cloudier side with temperatures swinging between milder and seasonable conditions as the city moves out of and into Arctic air masses. No significant snowfall is forecast after Sunday night’s accumulations for the remainder of the week.

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

More Warm Weather On The Way

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Temperatures will soar well above seasonal values in Winnipeg as a flood of mild Pacific air washes over the southern Prairies.

A warm front pushing eastwards across the Red River Valley this morning will bring above-seasonal temperatures back to Winnipeg today. To start the day, Winnipeg may see a few flurries as the warm front pushes into the region. Once the front leaves, Winnipeg will see mixed skies with light southerly winds. Temperatures will climb to around -10°C by lunch and then inch towards a high of -8°C in the afternoon. Skies will cloud back over tonight as another warm front pushes into the region. This front will bring a chance of some light snow – and a risk of freezing rain – to the region late overnight into early Thursday morning. Temperatures will continue to rise overnight to around -2°C by morning.

Thursday will bring mainly cloudy skies to Winnipeg and the Red River Valley as a mild Pacific air mass spreads over the region. Temperatures will continue to climb to a high near 0°C with southwesterly winds of 20 to 30 km/h. Thursday night will bring mixed skies with a low near -5°C.

Temperatures will climb to near- or above-freezing across much of southern Manitoba on Thursday
Temperatures will climb to near- or above-freezing across much of southern Manitoba on Thursday

On Friday, the region should see plenty more cloud as temperatures once again climb to around 0°C. A low pressure system moving through the Interlake will bring southwesterly winds of 20 to 30 km/h to the Red River Valley on Friday afternoon. Winds will shift northwesterly on Friday night as temperatures dip to a low near -5°C.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures will remain mild this weekend with daytime highs in mid-minus single digits. Sunday and Monday may bring a chance for some light snow as a larger low pressure system develops and moves through the region. Slightly above-seasonal temperatures will continue into the middle of next week with variable cloudiness.

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

Winnipeg Sets Off On A Temperature Roller Coaster

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Winnipeg will see temperatures swing from the deep freeze back to seasonably mild by the end of the weekend as an Alberta clipper pushes out an Arctic high.

Temperatures will be cold in Winnipeg today as an Arctic high settles over the region. Temperatures today will be seasonably cold in the Red River Valley at around -20°C. Breezy northerly winds this morning of 20 to 30 km/h will ease through the day. Then, attention turns to a potent Pacific system making landfall. As it moves onshore, it will push a warm front eastwards across the Prairies. That surge of warm air pushing across the Prairies will keep temperatures from dropping too much tonight. Winnipeg should see a low near -24 or -25°C before temperatures begin to moderate early Saturday morning. Skies will start the night clear, but should see cloudiness increase early Saturday morning.

Saturday will bring mainly cloudy skies to Winnipeg. Snow isn’t too likely, but a few flakes may fall through the day. Temperatures will return to seasonal values with a high near -11°C. Winds will become an issue in the afternoon, though, increasing out of the south to into the 30 to 40 km/h range. This will result in some blowing snow through the Red River Valley. Expect locally poor travel conditions on west-east highways in the area. Those breezy winds will continue into the night and keep temperatures mild. Winnipeg will see temperatures remain steady near -11°C under cloudy skies with a chance of light snow.

Total snowfall is forecast to be near 2-4cm in WInnipeg with this weekend's clipper system.
Total snowfall is forecast to be near 2-4cm in WInnipeg with this weekend’s clipper system.

By Sunday, that Pacific system will have developed into a punchy Alberta Clipper. It will move from central Saskatchewan into southwestern Manitoba on Sunday morning, dragging an area of snow southwards from the central Prairies. Winnipeg will see periods of snow through Sunday with light winds. While it will snow all day, accumulations should remain relatively low in the Red River Valley. Winnipeg may see 2 to 4 cm with decreasing amounts south of the city. Temperatures will be mild with a high near -7°C, but things will take a turn on Sunday night as a cold front surges southwards behind the clipper system. Winnipeg will see a low near -19°C with even colder temperatures on the way to start next week.

Long Range Outlook

Some snow may linger into Monday morning, but by the end of the day things should clear out. Then, another outbreak of Arctic air will move into the region. Daytime highs will plummet back into the low minus teens or minus twenties to start the week. Tuesday morning may even bring the first -30°C overnight low of the season!

Many long-range models are forecasting temperatures near -30°C bright and early on to kick off January 1, 2019.
Many long-range models are forecasting temperatures near -30°C bright and early on to kick off January 1, 2019.

The cold outbreak will be short-lived with seasonal temperatures returning mid-week. The end of next week should bring seasonably mild conditions with little to no chance for any accumulating snowfall.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -12°C while the seasonal overnight low is -22°C.