Arctic Outbreak Grips The Prairies, Improvement By Weekend

Temperatures have plummeted in Winnipeg with the arrival of an outbreak of Arctic air. Fortunately, the cold snap will be short-lived with a return to seasonal temperatures by the weekend.

A sprawling Arctic high will move through the Prairies today and tomorrow, keeping temperatures well below seasonal values. North winds of 30 gusting 50 km/h will combine with temperatures in the low minus twenties this morning to produce extreme wind chill values of -40 to -45. ECCC has an extreme cold warning in effect for dangerous wind chills that are in place across most of the province this morning.

Wind chills will moderate through the day as the high approaches and winds ease. Temperatures won’t recover much, though, with a high of only -24°C expected in Winnipeg. On the bright side, the city will see plenty of sunshine today.

Temperatures will dip to a low near -30°C tonight with westerly winds up to 15 km/h. Wind chill values will likely drop back below -40 overnight.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 09Z Thursday February 13, 2020
Temperatures will fall below -30°C tonight across parts of the southern Prairies.

More sunshine is on the way for the city tomorrow with a high near -20°C. Winds will be light through the day, shifting from westerly to southerly as the high works its way across the province. Temperatures will fall to a low near -24°C on Thursday night with winds increasing to 30 km/h through the night.

Milder temperatures will gradually work into the region on Friday, but as is common with these transition days, it will be windy. The Red River Valley will see southerly winds of 40 to 50 km/h through most of the day with mostly cloudy skies.

GDPS 10m AGL Wind Forecast valid 18Z Friday February 14, 2020
Moderate southerly winds will develop over the Red River Valley on Friday morning.

By the time the sun goes down, temperatures should reach around -10°C, then increase further to around -8°C for the night as winds shift to the west.

Long Range Outlook

Winnipeg will see seasonal conditions on Saturday, then another cool snap will move into the region for Sunday and Monday. It won’t be nearly as bad as today’s Arctic outbreak, though; highs are forecast to be around -15°C. Through the rest of next week, most models agree in a general trend towards another spell of mild temperatures for the second half of the week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9°C while the seasonal overnight low is -19°C.

Arctic High Barreling Towards Southern Manitoba

A series of low pressure systems will bring mild temperatures and light snow to southern Manitoba over the next couple days. Then bundle up, because bitter cold will crash through the Prairies into southern Manitoba.

A low pressure system passing through the region will bring cloudy skies with light snow to Winnipeg today. The city will see about 2 cm of snow before it tapers off later this afternoon. Temperatures will be seasonably mild with a high near -6°C. Winds will be breezy this afternoon, picking up to northwest to 30 gusting 50 km/h behind a weak cold front. Skies will clear out this evening with temperatures dipping to a low near -13°C. Winds will ease and shift westerly, but some breezy conditions will continue to be possible along the escarpment of the western Red River Valley.

On Tuesday, more cloud will build into the region as the next low rapidly approaches. The city will see mixed skies becoming cloudy later in the day. Winds will pick up to 30 gusting 50 km/h out of the southwest, sending temperatures to a high near -3°C. The low will pass through in the evening, bringing snow into the region and ushering in a powerful cold front.

After a few hours of light winds late in the day, northerlies will strengthen to 40 gusting 60 km/h overnight. Light snow will move into the region in the evening and persist through much of the night. Although only around 2 cm of snow will fall, the strong winds may still produce some areas of reduced visibility in blowing snow. Temperatures will plummet through the night, reaching a low near -26°C on Wednesday morning. Dangerous wind chills of -40 or colder are possible overnight into Wednesday morning.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 00Z Wednesday February 12, 2020
A powerful cold front will surge southwards through the province on Tuesday night, ushering in a bitterly cold Arctic air mass.

Skies will clear on Wednesday as the Arctic high moves into the region. Temperatures will barely recover with highs of just -24°C expected. Northwesterly winds of 30 to 40 km/h will continue for much of the day, not easing until the latter parts of the afternoon into the evening. Temperatures will head to a low near -31°C on Wednesday night with dangerous wind chills of -40 or lower possible again.

Long Range Outlook

The cold weather will stick around for Thursday, then seasonal temperatures are forecast to return after a windy Friday. The weekend will bring near-normal temperatures and variable cloudiness with no significant snowfall expected.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9°C while the seasonal overnight low is -20°C.

Warmer, Windy Weather Ahead

Winnipeg will see warm and windy weather this weekend with a chance of seeing the sun again!

A disturbance crossing Manitoba today will start bringing drier air into the province and help clear out some cloud. In the Red River Valley, southerly winds will pick up into the 20 to 30 km/h range this afternoon, but the clouds will linger. There will continue to be a chance for freezing drizzle or flurries as temperatures head to a high near -3°C. A trough moving through this evening will usher in westerly winds that will start to break up the cloud cover. Temperatures will dip to a low near -7°C as winds ease.

Saturday will mark the beginning of Winnipeg’s windy weekend as a warm front pushes into the region. Winds will pick up out of the south again to 30 gusting 50 km/h with more cloud than sun. Temperatures will climb towards 0°C through the day, then up above freezing in the evening as winds shift to the southwest. Skies will stay mixed overnight with temperatures dipping back below freezing for Sunday morning.

RDPS 2m Temperature Forecast valid 00Z Sunday February 2, 2020
A warm front will push across the Red River Valley on Saturday evening, ushering in above-freezing temperatures.

A cold front will slump southwards through the Red River Valley on Sunday, bringing more cloud into the region and strengthening west-northwest winds. The Red River Valley will see winds strengthen to 30 gusting 50 km/h except for the western escarpment region where gusts up to 60 km/h will be likely. The organized snow associated with this system will likely stay north of Winnipeg, crossing through the southern Interlake.

ECMWF 24hr. Accumulated Snowfall Forecast (10:1 SLR) valid 00Z Monday February 3, 2020
The organized snowfall with this system will cross through the southern Interlake, leaving Winnipeg with a chance of flurries as the cold front slumps southwards.

The city will likely see mixed skies through the day with a chance of flurries. There could be a chance of patchy freezing rain, but it’s too early to say with any certainty. Winds will gradually taper off on Sunday night as skies clear with temperatures dipping to a low near -13°C.

Long Range Outlook

Temperatures return towards seasonal values to start next week as a ridge of high pressure builds into the region. The city will finally see some sunshine through the first half of the week with little cloud or snow expected. More cloud is forecast to move in through the second half of the week as warmer temperatures return.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -11°C while the seasonal overnight low is -21°C.

A Windy Warm-Up Ahead

Winnipeg will see a period of windy conditions ahead as milder Pacific air builds into the region.

Conditions will remain seasonably chilly in Winnipeg today with a high near -15°C. The tail end of an Arctic ridge is keeping the cold temperatures in the region today, but a big change is right around the corner. Skies will stay sunny today but winds will gradually pick up out of the south, reaching this afternoon. The winds will keep up through the night with temperatures remaining steady around -14°C. Cloud cover will begin moving into the Red River Valley late overnight.

RDPS 10m Wind Forecast valid 18Z Tuesday January 21, 2020
Moderate southerly winds will remain in place over the Red River Valley on Tuesday.

Tuesday will bring mainly cloudy skies to Winnipeg and area with moderate southerly winds gusting up to 60 km/h. Temperatures will continue to climb as the mild Pacific air continues to push towards the region; Winnipeg will see a seasonably warm high near -8°C. The wind will finally ease on Tuesday night as temperatures hover around -8°C.

Mainly cloudy skies continue on Wednesday with a mild high near -4°C and light winds. Temperatures look like they’ll drop to a low near -13°C on Wednesday night under mostly cloudy skies.

Long Range Outlook

The rest of the week looks warmer, warmer, warmer! There will be plenty of cloud around as temperatures gradually climb towards the freezing mark. The region will likely see highs near -1°C by the weekend into next week. No significant snow is in the forecast.

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