Tag: Snow

Winter Returns to Winnipeg

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A low pressure system moving through the province will bring snow, falling temperatures, and strong winds to the Winnipeg area later today.

ECMWF 24hr. Snowfall Accumulation Forecast valid 12Z Saturday December 9, 2023
While as much as 10 to 15 cm of snow is possible later today in the Red River Valley, melting during the early parts of the event should reduce the snow accumulation into the 5 to 10 cm range for most places.

Today will be another mild day as Winnipeg finds itself in the warm sector of an approaching low pressure system. Skies will be cloudy today with a chance of a rain shower or drizzle mas temperatures climb above freezing midday. Later this afternoon, snow will begin to push across the Red River Valley as the low tracks to the east. Temperatures will dip just below freezing and the snow will likely start to pile up by late in the afternoon.

The evening will bring more snow and increasing northerly winds. Northerly winds will reach 30 gusting 50 by this afternoon, then strengthen to 50 gusting 70 km/h in the evening. Coupled with the snow and falling temperatures, it will make for poor travel conditions on area roads. Snow will pile up, surfaces will begin to freeze, and areas of blowing snow will reduce visibilities further.

The snow will taper off overnight, leaving behind about 5 to 10 cm accumulation. Temperatures will dip to a low in the -5 to -10 °C range.

The clouds will begin to break up on Saturday, bringing a bit of sun back to the region. The northerly wind will ease through the day, from 40 gusting 60 km/h in the morning to calm by evening. Although it will be a cooler day, a high near -6 °C will still be warmer than the seasonal average.

Temperatures will dip down into the -10 to -15 °C range on Saturday night with partly cloudy skies.

Sunday will bring mixed skies to the region again with a seasonal daytime high around -8 °C.

Long Range Outlook

Heading into next week, another upper ridge will build over the west coast and spread eastwards, bringing another wave of Pacific air into the Prairies. This will warm temperatures up, but exactly how much will depend significantly on the snowpack. At this point in the year, with a very shallow sun angle, a solid snowpack could more or less isolate the surface from the warmer air above.

We’ll have to wait and see…but the push of milder air does look like it will likely last well into the second half of the week. It’s hard to believe that temperatures will be able to climb too much if the entire Red River Valley ends up filled with snow in December, but stranger things have happened.

Either way, just a couple weeks out from the shortest day of the year and there are still no -30s in the Winnipeg forecast.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -18 °C.

Another Brief Shot of Winter Ahead for Winnipeg

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Saturday will bring another day of seasonably mild weather in Winnipeg, but a cold front sweeping through the province will usher in colder weather for Sunday.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 15Z Monday November 27, 2023
A colder air mass will settle over the eastern Prairies by Sunday night.

Temperatures will climb near the freezing mark again today in Winnipeg as warmer air floods into the southern Prairies. The region will see mixed skies today and winds will persist out of the southwest in the 20 to 30 km/h range.

There will be a notable change in the weather this evening. A low pressure system moving through central Manitoba will sweep a cold front across the province overnight. The front will bring a band of snow that pushes from Parkland Manitoba this early into the Red River Valley before midnight, then to the Ontario border by Sunday morning. Behind the front, moderate northwest winds up to 40 gusting 60 km/h will usher a colder air mass into the region. A few flurries may linger across the region overnight behind the front. Temperatures will fall to a low in the -5 to -10 °C range.

On Sunday, the northwest winds will continue across the region as temperatures continue to fall through the day. Skies will clear by the afternoon with temperatures dropping into the -10 to -15 °C range. With clear skies and winds diminishing, temperatures will drop further into the -15 to -20 °C range on Sunday night.

The cool temperatures will continue on Monday with sunny skies and a high in the -5 to -10 °C range. On Monday evening, a warm front will push eastwards across Manitoba, bringing some more snow as a milder Pacific air mass pushes back into the province.

Long Range Outlook

We could see some snow in the Red River Valley early Tuesday, but much of the snow should fall to the north and east. Temperatures will rebound into the -5 to 0 °C range for Tuesday afternoon.

The region should be another day with above-seasonal temperatures on Wednesday, then a return to seasonal values for the rest of the week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -5 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -14 °C.

Wintery Mix of Snow, Freezing Rain, and Rain Possible on Sunday in Southern Manitoba

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A slow-changing weather pattern over Winnipeg will continue to bring daytime highs near the freezing mark and mixed to cloudy skies. By Sunday, though, an approaching low could bring a wintery mix of snow, rain, and freezing rain to southern Manitoba.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Sunday November 5, 2023
Temperatures will hover near or above the freezing mark over the next few days.

Today will start with some cloud moving through the Red River Valley as a weak front slumps into the region. In its wake, light northerly winds will accompany clearing skies. Some cloud will persist through the day as lake-effect flurries stream off lakes Manitoba and Winnipeg, but the wind direction should favour them flanking Winnipeg rather than moving through the city.

Temperatures will climb up to a high around 0 °C today, then dip to a low in the -5 to -10 °C range tonight.

Heading into the weekend, warmer air will attempt to build into the region. Rather than seeing any notable warm-up, as it often is this time of year, the region instead will be blanketed in cloud. Winds will shift southerly and ease further on Saturday with cloudy skies in the Red River Valley. The remnants of a collapsing low pressure system could bring some light snow to the region on Saturday afternoon.

On Saturday night, a low pressure system developing in Alberta will eject eastwards across Saskatchewan. Winds in the Red River Valley will shift eastwards overnight in response along with a low chance of some light snow. Temperatures will only drop a few degrees from Saturday’s daytime high.

On Sunday, a wintery mix of precipitation will push into Manitoba ahead of the approaching low in Saskatchewan. The day will likely start with some rain and/or freezing rain spreading through southern Manitoba while snow pushes through the Parkland into the Interlake. As the day progresses, the freezing rain will diminish while the rain/snow line lifts northwards. Daytime highs should reach around +2 °C on Sunday afternoon.

RDPS Forecast Precipitation Type/Rate valid 18Z Sunday November 5, 2023
Southern Manitoba may see a wintery mix of precipitation on Sunday, including freezing rain.

By the end of the day, the low centre will cross through the Red River Valley, followed by northerly winds and the rain/snow line collapsing southwards as the precipitation tapers off overnight. The freezing rain potential in southern Manitoba will largely be confined to the morning, and while conditions could be poor while it’s occurring, the subsequent climb above freezing with temperatures should limit the longevity of its impact. If you have plans to travel on Sunday morning, be prepared for adverse travel conditions and be sure to check highway conditions before leaving.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures will stay comparatively mild next week with daytime highs likely creeping to the positive side of freezing through the week. Some flurries will be possible, but the next organized precipitation event will likely be with a low pressure complex moving through the region mid-week.

This system could bring another wintery mix of precipitation to southern Manitoba as it passes through.

Don’t expect to see the sun too much; skies will be mainly cloudy this week. Some more organized sunshine could begin to move back into the region in the latter half of the week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is +3 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -6 °C.

Cool Conditions Ahead for Winnipeg

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The broad pattern change that began this week will establish itself by the weekend, bringing a prolonged period of seasonably cool conditions to the region.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Saturday October 28, 2023
Seasonably cool temperatures will flood the Prairies this weekend with daytime highs below freezing in most places.

The weather pattern across southern Manitoba will be dominated by a slow-moving upper trough extending from an Arctic vortex over Canada’s eastern Arctic. This will ensure a pipeline of cooler air sourced from the Arctic sits pointed at the region right into next week, delivery seasonably cool temperatures to the area.

It will be mainly cloudy in Winnipeg today with some morning snow tapering off as a disturbance tracks off the the east. In its wake, northerly winds up to 30 gusting 50 km/h will pump cooler air southwards, supporting bands of lake-effect flurries off of both Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg. This will result in a few flurries lingering through the day, as well as some more concentrated bands of snow in the lee of the lakes. Temperatures will climb to around the freezing mark, then dip down into the -5 to -10 °C overnight as skies clear.

Sunnier skies will return for Saturday with highs in the -5 to 0 °C range with southwesterly winds in the 20 to 30 km/h range. A bit of cloud will push back into the region on Saturday night, but lows will still dip down close to -10 °C.

On Sunday, there will likely be a bit more cloud around with just a slight chance of some flurries. Temperatures will again climb into the -5 to 0 °C range with westerly winds again near 20 km/h.

Long Range Outlook

Highs will likely bounce back to the freezing mark on Monday with a passing disturbance that will also bring some light snow to the region, then cooler weather returns for the rest of the week with highs in the -5 to 0 °C range and overnight lows closer to -10 °C.

For Halloween, it’s looking like it will be a partly cloudy day with a cool high near -5 °C. By the time kids start heading out in the evening, temperatures will likely have dipped into the -5 to -10 °C range with southwest winds near 15 km/h.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is 6 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -3 °C.