Storm snowfall

12.6 cm storm total here in Charleswood..  12 cm on the ground. Looks like our whitest Halloween here in a number of years. 

Winter Storm Update

Snow has moved into southwest MB this morning with visibilities down to 1.5 miles in snow in Brandon as of 7 am. Radar indicates heavier snow down in the Melita and Boissevain areas with visibilities likely below 1 mile. The snow should continue to spread eastward this morning reaching Portage by 8 or 9 am and then Winnipeg by late morning. Snow will increase in intensity through the afternoon in Winnipeg with about 5 cm likely by late afternoon so plan for a slow drive home after work today. I expect the heaviest snow between 3 pm and midnight in Winnipeg with total snowfalls of about 10 to 15 cm. Winds will also be increasing this afternoon into this evening from the northwest which will cause poor visibilities in snow and blowing snow, especially in open areas this evening and tonight.

Oh no.. say it ain't snow!

Oh oh.. looks like Winnipeg and Southern Mb may be looking at a white Halloween as a storm system from Montana moves over the Dakotas on Monday bringing the potential for accumulating snow Monday into Monday night across the area. Models are indicating that this storm system will intensify over North Dakota on Monday, bringing a swath of snow from southwest MB through the Red River valley and southern Interlake regions. At this point, it appears that 10 to 15 cm of snow is possible over Southern MB, with up to 20 cm over higher elevations of southwest MB such as the Turtle Mtns and Pilot Mound areas. This same storm system is producing snow across southern Alberta today including Calgary (check out the Calgary webcam today to see what we may be in for tomorrow!)

Snow from this system should start falling over southwest MB overnight into Monday morning, spreading into Winnipeg by midday Monday or early afternoon. Snow will quickly increase in intensity through the afternoon into the evening with 10 cm possible by midnight. The snow will likely begin as wet melting snow in Winnipeg initially as temperatures will be above zero by the time the snow starts, but will drop to the freezing mark as the snow intensifies. The Monday afternoon rush hour could be a sloppy slow one if this pans out. The storm should clear out by Tuesday morning, but it’s not likely that the snow will melt in time for Halloween trick or treating Tuesday evening. Get the boots ready!

Continuing cool through end of October

Those of you looking forward to a return to pleasant mild weather over Southern Manitoba will likely be disappointed over the next couple of weeks. Guidance is indicating that a large scale Artic vortex over Hudson Bay and Northern Ontario will persist through the next two weeks at least, bringing a continuation of below normal temperatures over Southern Manitoba likely through the end of October.  If this occurs, it will mark the first prolonged stretch of below normal temperatures in Winnipeg since May, an indication of how long Winnipeg and Southern Manitoba have been enjoying above normal temperatures this year. At this point, no major storms are forecast over the next week or so over Southern Manitoba, with generally dry but cool conditions. Note that our last El-Nino season in 2002-03 began with the coldest October on record in Winnipeg, but a mild December and January. Perhaps, a similar pattern is developing this year, as a large scale ridge begins to build over the west coast giving pleasant above normal conditions to BC and Alberta this fall, eventually spreading eastward over Southern Manitoba by December.   

Strong winds this afternoon into Friday

It's going to be a windy one in Southern Manitoba over the next 24 hours as a deep low pressure system over Northwest Ontario funnels cold northwesterly winds over Manitoba.  Winds are already 48 gusting 63 km/h at Winnipeg airport as of noon, and the winds are only expected to become stronger by this evening. It's possible Winnipeg and the Red River valley may experience wind warning criteria with sustained wind speeds of 60 km/h or more by this evening through tonight into Friday with gusts to 70 or 80 km/h.  Not a pleasant way to the end the week! The good news is the weekend should see much calmer conditions as a ridge of high pressure builds into the province bringing light winds.   Unfortunately it looks like we'll be staying well below normal temperature-wise through next week. After such a beautiful stretch of above normal weather dating back to April, I guess it's payback time for Mother Nature!