Quiet, Mild Weather Ahead

Winnipeg will see a quiet start to the week weather-wise with seasonably mild conditions continuing.

A slow-moving area of high pressure will keep Winnipeg seasonably warm and dry over the coming days, but cloud cover will gradually encroach from the west. Over the coming days, the highs and lows will stay steady for the city with highs around 6 or 7 °C and lows near -2 or -3 °C. Today, the city will start off with sunny skies, but southerly winds will strengthen to 30 gusting 50 km/h and a few clouds will push in from the west. These partly cloudy skies will continue overnight, but the winds will ease.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Tuesday March 16, 2021
While the Red River Valley will enjoy seasonably mild temperatures, it will be a bit cooler across the central Prairies.

On Tuesday, the city will see mixed skies with cloudier conditions over southwest Manitoba. A few flurries or rain showers are possible in this area of cloud, but will likely stay over western Manitoba and the central Interlake. The clouds will thicken up on Tuesday night for the city.

Winnipeg will see mixed skies on Wednesday as morning cloud clears out for some portion of the afternoon. Winds will be light again as a new area of high pressure builds into the province.

Long Range Outlook

Warmer weather will begin moving into the province for the end of the week with highs climbing back into the low teens and lows above freezing. Skies should be mainly sunny through the rest of the work week.

A large pattern shift will occur this weekend, shifting the region into a more unsettled pattern. Cloud cover is forecast to increase this weekend, and several chances for rain exist through the first half of next week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -1 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -11 °C.

A Cooler Back Half of the Week

Winnipeg will see a cloudier, cooler back half of the work week in the wake of a low pressure system that crossed the province yesterday.

Winnipeg will see light northerly winds today as cooler temperatures push into the region with a weak ridge. Skies will vary from cloudy to mixed as temperatures climb to a high near +1 °C. Winds will ease from 20–30 km/h early this morning to light early in the evening. Temperatures will dip to a low near -6 °C tonight with mixed skies.

On Thursday, another weak low moving through will drag a cold front southeastwards across the province, bringing more cloud and a chance of flurries to the city. Temperatures will return to seasonal values with a high near -3 °C. Winds will be more of a nuisance, picking up out of the northwest to 30–40 km/h midday. An area of high pressure will move into the province on Thursday night, bringing easing winds and clearing skies. Winnipeg should see a low near -13 °C on Thursday night.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Friday March 12, 2021
Warmer temperatures will once again begin moving eastwards into Manitoba on Friday.

That area of high pressure will largely dominate the weather on Friday, bringing sunny skies and southerly winds of 20–30 km/h to the region. Temperatures will climb back to a high near +2 °C. Skies will stay mostly clear on Friday night with a low near -5 °C.

Long Range Outlook

A warm weekend is in store for southern Manitoba as another upper ridge builds across the Prairies. Temperatures will climb back well above freezing with mainly sunny skies this weekend. Slightly cooler weather is forecast to move in to start next week, but temperatures are still expected to stay generally seasonably mild.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -3 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -13 °C.

Spring-Like Warmth Arrives

Many in Winnipeg will remember February for the brutal cold that began the month. March will start on a very different note as spring-like warmth arrives!

After a rather cold night where lows in Winnipeg bottomed out in the low minus 20s, temperatures will climb through the next 36 hours. A Pacific low crossing the central Prairies will push a warm front eastwards, first through Alberta and Saskatchewan today, then Manitoba tonight. In Winnipeg, winds ahead of the front will pick up out of the south to 40 gusting 60 km/h for the afternoon and evening.

Temperatures will climb to a high near -12 °C today, although that wind chill will make it feel rather unpleasant. A sunny start to the day will turn cloudier for the afternoon/evening cloud ahead of the front. There will be a slight chance for some flurries, but the dry southerly ridge outflow winds will likely keep things mostly dry through a majority of the Red River Valley.

Skies will stay mixed to cloudy tonight with winds easing to 30 gusting 50 km/h for most of the night. The warm front will push through overnight, bringing temperatures up to around -2 °C by Tuesday morning.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 21Z Tuesday March 2, 2021
Mild, spring-like warmth will move across much of southern Manitoba on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Winnipeg will see temperatures climb above 0 °C to a high near +4 °C, although warmer highs of 5–10 °C will materialize over the western Red River Valley. Winds will ease in the morning, then gradually veer to the northwest for the afternoon as they strengthen back to 30 gusting 50 km/h. The city will see partly cloudy skies through the day. Winds will drop off quickly on Tuesday evening with skies clearing and temperatures heading to a low near -11 °C.

Mixed to cloudy skies will move in for Wednesday with a light southeast wind. Temperatures will climb back up to a high near the freezing mark. Temperatures will dip to a low near -12 °C on Wednesday night.

Long Range Outlook

More warm air is on the way through the second half of the week as an upper ridge builds across the Prairies. Highs will climb above freezing — perhaps even into the upper single digits — through the second half of the week and into the weekend. The upper ridge should keep any precipitation at bay until next week, where some snow may be possible as the ridge moves off to the east.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -5 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -15 °C.

Mild Friday Turns Colder for the Weekend

A potent Pacific low will bring warm temperatures and snow to Southern Manitoba, followed by a blast of Arctic air.

Winnipeg will see seasonably mild, but somewhat unpleasant conditions today. An area of snow — perhaps occasionally mixing with rain — will slowly move the region. Temperatures will hover around +1 °C for much of day, buoyed by the mild 20–30 km/h southerly winds. The wind will ease later this afternoon. Temperatures will begin to fall late in the day as a cold front passes and a moderate north wind develops. The organized snow will end this evening, but the chance for some more light snow will continue overnight. Temperatures will fall to a low near -20 °C with northerlies of 30 gusting 50 km/h easing to around 20 km/h by morning.

RDPS 24hr Accumulated QPF Forecast valid 00Z Saturday February 27, 2021
Southern Manitoba will see a band of snow move through the region today that may mix with rain at times if temperatures can warm enough.

Temperatures will stay much cooler on Saturday as a broad Arctic high moves into the province. Winnipeg will see a high near -16 °C, but skies will stay cloudy with a chance of light snow as an upper-level disturbance pushes through. Fortunately, that north wind will ease through the day. The cloud cover should break up for Saturday night with temperatures heading to a low near -20 °C again.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 15Z Sunday February 28, 2021
A weak low will bring slightly milder temperatures to Winnipeg on Sunday, but the Arctic air over the northern Prairies will surge southeast on Sunday night.

A weak low will slump through the province on Sunday, bringing some slightly warmer air into the region. Winnipeg will see a high near -10 °C with light southwest winds turning northwest and strengthening to 30 gusting 50 km/h by the evening. The city will see another chance for some light snow through the afternoon and evening hours. Skies will clear out on Sunday night and temperatures will plummet to a low near -27 °C.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures will quickly warm next week with highs climbing back above freezing by Tuesday. This will mark the start of what is forecast to be a prolonged period of seasonably mild conditions. With the longer days and increasing strength of the sun, some might even think Spring is around the corner by next weekend…

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -6 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -16 °C.