A warm front lies just to the west of Winnipeg this morning with temperatures near or above freezing from the western Red River valley to the SK border, including 0C at Dauphin and +2C in Boissevain. Southerly winds ahead of the front continue to maintain cold temperatures in the Red River valley with temperatures only near -10 in Winnipeg this morning. Just to our west however, temperatures have risen to -1C in Morden and 0c in Austin (west of Portage) where winds have shifted into the southwest behind the front. This warm front is expected to move through the Red River valley this afternoon, with westerly winds tapping mild air to the west and sending temperatures up to the freezing mark, or even above in some areas. Southerly winds are notorious for trapping cold air in the Red River valley during the winter.. we need a westerly flow here to scour out that cold valley air.
As for precipitation, freezing rain is falling in areas west and southwest of Winnipeg early this morning, with snow and ice pellets here in the city (only about 1 or 2 cm worth) This area of precipitation should move off this morning leaving dry and milder conditions for the afternoon.
Freezing rain warning issued for Winnipeg this morning. Radar shows a band of freezing rain moving across the city, heavier to the northeast side of the city such as East St Paul and Transcona areas. Should be through within the next hour or so.. but be aware of slippery conditions especially if you're on the north or east perimeter or driving east of the city on the TransCanada.
ReplyDeleteNot much in the way of freezing rain in Steinbach yet. The precipitation started before I woke up, but judging from the ground it must have been mostly ice pellets. Otherwise the rain is so light here you have to go outside to tell that something is even happening. No significant icing here yet, but another heavy band is moving in from Morden, which might produce some heavier rain.
ReplyDeleteAs of 11:00 a.m. here it is a wintry mix. A combination of freezing rain / ice pellets and snow. The precipitation is mostly ice pellets and snow right now. When it started it was mostly rain, transitioned to part ice pellets, now to mostly ice pellets and a bit of snow. However it is clearly changing to snow now, with little freezing rain.
ReplyDeleteWell, hard to believe.. but temperatures have climbed above zero here in Charleswood as of 2:15 pm.. +0.4C. It was -33C here just 30 hours ago. Of the 10 responses to my blog poll, no one thought we'd hit 0C today (including me!) Sure wish it could last for more than one day!
ReplyDeleteHere my thermometer reads +0.3, just yesterday morning it was -31.6 on my thermometer and -36.8 at the Steinbach airport. It is still snowing as of 2:37 p.m., we have about 4cm right now, it will end up being close to 5cm. More snowfall fell today than all January hard to believe. March is only 2 two weeks away, although another -35 + night could be possible Wednesday (too bad). Also tomorrow could produce blizzard conditions in South-Central and South-Eastern Manitoba, where snow fell today.
ReplyDeleteI guess it depends on where you where in Winnipeg as to if you saw + zero temperatures. Here in Steinbach officially it will go down around -0.5 degrees (I have to wait until tomorrow for the official high), but at my station the high was +1.3.
ReplyDelete4 to 5cm of snow fell here in addition to a couple of millimeters of ice pellets and freezing rain. It was almost like a mini "hailstorm" with little bits of ice bouncing off the roof!
I would say a blizzard would not be an unreasonable prediction in the Red River Valley and South-Eastern Manitoba. It will just depend on where snow fell and where it didn't. Interesting to note that more snow fell today in Steinbach than all of January!
Looks like a blizzard right now in the city
ReplyDeleteLOOK OUT!!!
Just for a couple hours this will last.
But it sure is DRIFTING pretty good in the city.
There's area where new snow is past my ankles and in only snow 1 cm so far.....
Here it is VERY windy. 40 G 60 at the airport, and usually that underestimates the wind speed. When the snow is falling the visibility goes way down to probably 0.4km, and that is in the city.
ReplyDeleteOut in the country I would imagine it is a raging blizzard, judging by the amount of blowing snow in the city.