Residents of Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba are getting the snow shovels out today after an Alberta clipper brought significant snowfall to many areas in those regions. Across southern Manitoba, many highways were closed due to the event.
Snow falls in the Osborne Village area of Winnipeg on Thursday night. Photo ©2010 Brad Vrolijk, taken on an iPhone with Instagram.
While the low pressure system that brought snow to Southern Manitoba yesterday through last night has moved out, lake-effect snow flurries continue to affect some areas of the Red River Valley.Environment Canada has issued special weather statements outlining the amount of snow many areas received. Across west-central Manitoba, along the Trans-Canada Highway, and through much of the Red River Valley, snowfall accumulations as of Friday morning are in the 10-20cm range:
Selected storm total snowfall amounts Dauphin 17 cm Gilbert Plains 20 cm Brandon 10 cm Roblin 12 cm Rivers 11 cm Winnipeg 10 cm Oakbank 10 cm Pinawa 12 cm Grand Rapids 14 cm Wilson creek 18 cm Wasagaming 15 cm Fisher Branch 12 cm Portage la Prairie 10 cm Beauséjour 12 cm Morden 5 cm
While the storm has moved out, gusty northwest winds have moved in. Temperatures should drop into the low (high?) teens, about the −10 to −12 degree C range, by this afternoon with an arctic air mass moving in behind the clipper. This cold air is also producing lake effect snow.
This is resulting in narrow bands of flurries through small segments of the Red River Valley. Winnipeg has seen fairly continuous flurries through Friday morning, and has already had another 2-3cm of accumulation from them. They should move out of the Winnipeg area this afternoon as the winds become more northerly, however travellers should be aware for the potential of heavy snow along the Trans-Canada Highway to the west and east of Winnipeg.
We will see temperatures plummet tonight to below −20 degrees, bringing us our first true winter night of the season. Things should warm up a bit for Sunday, when there’s a good chance that more snow will push into Southern Manitoba as a system heads east-northeast out of Montana.
12Z GEM-REG 48H Output (valid 12Z Sunday Morning), 3hr QPF & MSLP
Current indications are that this system could deliver another 4-8cm of snow, however the exact amounts will be a lot clearer once the system is closer to us and more developed.
One last note, is that the wind chill this afternoon will be about −24; well below the actual temperature, so be sure to throw on an extra layer of clothing and a scarf to keep warm if you need to be out and about.
That’s all for now! Stay warm and drive safe.
