Shift to Mild Conditions Brings Cloudy and Unsettled Weather

Winnipeg will see a fair amount of cloud alongside some chances for snow or rain over the next few days, but it’s all in service of bringing in an unseasonably warm air mass that will remain in place for the entire week, making above-freezing high temperatures a common site into the weekend!

Today will bring cloudy skies to Winnipeg as a low pressure system passes through central Manitoba. As the warm front pushes through this morning, there will be a chance of some light rain or, if temperatures haven’t climbed above 0°C yet, some freezing rain – wouldn’t that be wonderful for the morning commute. Unfortunately, as of writing this on Sunday evening, there’s still significant disagreement in the models as to whether or not it will happen and any of the typical signals won’t show up until overnight, making it more of a last-minute forecast. If your plans are sensitive to freezing rain, I suggest you check the Environment Canada forecast for Winnipeg which was updated early this morning. After the warm front moves through, temperatures will reach a high near +4°C in the warm sector with calm winds as a trough of low pressure moves through. A few rain showers will roll through later this afternoon then a cold front will swing through, ushering in moderate west-northwest winds of 40 gusting to 60 km/h. These winds will persist through the night as temperatures head to a low near -3°C.

NAM Precipitation Type/Intensity valid 00Z Tuesday November 28, 2017
Most forecast models suggest Winnipeg and area will see showers move through this evening ahead of a cold front

On Tuesday, a ridge of high pressure will work into the province from the west. As it approaches, winds will taper off and skies will become mixed as temperatures remain roughly near -4°C for much of the day. Skies will clear through the afternoon, and as the sun sets the light winds and clear skies will allow temperatures to drop quite quickly to a low near -7°C, but another warm front approaching will quickly move into the region after midnight, spreading cloud and milder air that will raise temperatures close to -2°C by Wednesday morning.

Wednesday will once again be a cloudy day in Winnipeg as yet another low pressure system tracks through central Manitoba. Temperatures will climb to a high near +2°C with breezy southerlies of 20-30 km/h. A trough will move through in the afternoon, bringing a chance of rain or snow with it. Any remaining precipitation will exit the region by late evening, but don’t expect the weather to get too cold: no big cold push seems evident behind this low! Expect a low near -5°C on Wednesday night with skies becoming mixed.

Long Range Outlook

The remainder of the week continues to look mild, with daytime highs in the 0 to +3°C range and overnight lows near in the -4 to -8°C range. Skies will be variably cloudy, and chances for rain or snow seem minimized until the end of the weekend into the beginning of next week, where a few more systems may move through that bring some precipitation to the region. Enjoy the unseasonal end of November warmth! Perhaps an earned break after the record cold that started off the month!1

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -6°C while the seasonal overnight low is -14°C.

  1. November 9th set new daily record for minimum daily maximum and minimum daily minimum temperatures. Yikes!

Generally Mild Conditions Ahead

While today will start off with some showers as cold fronts usher the above-freezing temperatures out of the region, conditions will remain generally mild with near-seasonal to above-seasonal temperatures expected over the coming week.

Winnipeg will see a mild start to the day with temperatures near +3°C, but that warmth will be short-lived. A cold front sweeping through early this morning will bring a band of showers across southern Manitoba. This front will usher in breezy westerly winds near 30 km/h with gusts up to around 50 km/h. The showers should taper off behind the front, but a second cold front will then drop southwards in the afternoon, bringing with it flurries as the winds shift northwesterly and temperatures drop further to around -1°C by the evening. The flurries will taper off in the evening as the breaks up a bit, leaving mixed skies for the night. Winds will taper off as temperatures drop to a low near -9°C.

An area of showers will move across southern Manitoba early this morning

Saturday will bring light winds as a ridge of high pressure moves across the Red River Valley, likely with a bit of morning sunshine. Cloud will build back eastwards into Winnipeg in the afternoon though, as the front that dipped southwards through the Red River Valley rebounds to the west and begins pushing back into the Red River Valley again. No snow or rain is expected in the Red River Valley; any precipitation will be further north, close to a low pressure system crossing through central Manitoba. Temperatures will climb towards a high near -2°C as the cloud moves into the region, and winds will pick up out of the south to around 20 km/h. Expect skies to remain mostly cloudy on Saturday night with temperatures remaining near -2 or -1°C for much of the evening, then dropping to a low near -5°C overnight as a weak cold front slumps through, shifting winds northwesterly and bringing in cooler air.

Sunday will bring mostly cloudy skies to the region yet again as temperatures remain steady near -4°C for much of the day. Another ridge of high pressure will be moving across the province, so winds will remain light throughout the day. Skies will remain cloudy on Sunday night as another warm front approaches from the west. Temperatures will climb towards -1°C by Monday morning with increasing southerly winds to 20 to 30 km/h.

Long Range Outlook

Looking ahead, Monday looks mild but may bring rain or snow to the region as another significant low pressure system crosses through the central Prairies. Afterwards, a zonal flow persists over the Prairies bringing multiple disturbances through the week that will bring occasional chances for flurries. Temperatures will remain near-seasonal to above normal, with relatively mild temperatures expected to remain in place for much of next week!

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -5°C while the seasonal overnight low is -13°C.

Unsettled Climb Towards Warmer Weather

Temperature will trend towards the milder side over the coming few days in Winnipeg as an upper-level ridge builds into the eastern Prairies. The warmer weather will come at a cost, though, with sunshine becoming somewhat of a scarce commodity in the second half of the work week.

Today will start off with skies clouding over quite early as an upper-level disturbance slides southeastwards from Dauphin into the southern Red River Valley. As it moves through, it will spread an area of light snow through the Parkland, across southwestern Manitoba, and into the southern Red River Valley. Winnipeg will be on the northeastern edge of the main area of snow and will see some non-accumulating light snow. Under the main snow track, snow will still be fairly light, with just 1 to 2 cm expected to fall. The snow will taper off in the afternoon as temperatures reach a high near -7°C, then skies will clear out in the evening as temperatures head to a low near -14 or -15°C.

NAM Forecast Precipitation Rate & Type valid 15Z Wednesday November 22, 2017
Some light snow will clip across southern Manitoba this morning

Thursday will see cloudy skies move into the Red River Valley early in the morning as a warm front pushes eastwards into the province. Temperatures will climb back to near-seasonal values through the day, reaching near -3°C by late afternoon. Those warmer temperatures will also come with increasing southerly winds increasing to 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon. Skies will remain cloudy overnight with temperatures continue to rise, reaching +1°C or so by Friday morning. Winds will ease slightly to around 20 km/h for the night after the warm front passes through.

NAM Forecast Precipitation Rate & Type valid 12Z Wednesday November 24, 2017
NAM Forecast Precipitation Rate & Type valid 12Z Wednesday November 24, 2017

Friday will be very mild in Winnipeg with temperatures reaching a high near +3 or +4°C. Showers will be possible as a cold front sweeps through in the morning, ushering in breezier westerlies of 30 to 40 km/h. The chance of showers will continue into to the afternoon, then switch to light snow as a second trough of low pressure swings through. After that, winds will switch to the northwest at around 40 gusting 60 km/h and temperatures will begin falling back below freezing to a low near -8°C with flurries and breezy northwesterlies continuing.

Long Range Outlook

Taking a quick look ahead to the weekend, it looks like Winnipeg will see near-seasonal temperatures with variable cloudiness. Saturday should see some sunshine while Sunday may see more of a mixed to mainly cloudy sky. All in all, relatively pleasant for late November!

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -4°C while the seasonal overnight low is -12°C.

Alberta Clipper Brings Mild Temperatures Quickly Followed By Windy Blast of Arctic Air

An Alberta clipper tracking across the province will bring above-freezing temperatures to Winnipeg today, but strong northwesterlies will usher in colder temperatures this evening that will remain in place for much of the week.

Mild temperatures are on the way today as an Alberta clipper tracking through the Interlake spreads above-freezing temperatures along and south of the Trans-Canada corridor. Temperatures will reach a high near +1°C this afternoon with some rain showers developing across portions of the Red River Valley. Winds will shift from southerly near 20 km/h to westerly at 30 gusting to 50 km/h mid-afternoon, and then shift to northwesterly behind a cold front that sweeps through between 5 and 7PM, ushering in strong winds of 40-50 km/h with gusts up to 70 km/h. By then, any precipitation will switch over and fall as snow. Although snowfall is not expected to be particularly intense, the combination of snow with strong northerly winds will likely produce some areas of reduced visibility in blowing snow.

RPDS 10m Wind Forecast valid 03Z Tuesday November 21, 2017
Strong northwesterly winds of 40-50 km/h will develop over the Red River Valley on Monday evening

With the northwesterly winds, temperatures will rapidly plummet in the evening, going from near +1°C at 5PM to -7 or -8°C by midnight. This rapid drop in temperatures combined with light snow and strong winds will result in a rapid freeze, likely producing slippery roads and poor driving conditions. If you must travel tonight, be sure to give yourself extra time, drive safely, and ensure you have an emergency car kit with you. Any remaining light snow will taper off towards early Tuesday morning as temperatures head to a low near -10°C.

Tuesday will see morning northwesterlies near 30 gusting 50 km/h gradually taper off through the day as a ridge of high pressure moves in. Temperatures will be cool with highs near -7°C under mixed skies. Even cooler air will move in on Tuesday night as the ridge of high pressure moves into the Red River Valley, sending lows into the -15 to -20°C range, depending on exactly how much cloud cover remains in the region.

Winnipeg will see cloudy periods on Wednesday as a weak upper-level disturbance bringing a few light flurries to south-western Manitoba spreads cloud into the Red River Valley. Winds will continue to be light under the ridge of high pressure and temperatures will reach a high near -7°C once again. Expect clear skies and a low near -14°C on Wednesday night.

Long Range Outlook

The remainder of the week looks cool for the most part; a low tracking across the central Prairies on Friday will bring mild temperatures once again, but cooler temperatures crash back southwards in the northwesterlies behind the system on Friday night. Cooler temperatures look to stick around through the weekend into next week under variable cloudiness.

Winnipeg’s seasonal daytime high is currently -3°C while the seasonal overnight low is -12°C.