THUNDER BAY – WEATHER – Environment Canada has an Alberta clipper bearing down on southern Manitoba. For Tuesday, Thunder Bay is forecast for 10-15 centimetres of snow.
Winnipeg is under a snowfall warning.
Snowfall warning in effect for:
- City of Winnipeg
Heavy snowfall will be beginning this afternoon in eastern Saskatchewan, moving eastward into Manitoba by tonight. A low pressure system crossing the Alberta Rockies this morning will track towards the eastern prairies today. Ahead of this system, heavy snow is forecast to fall, first over portions of eastern Saskatchewan later this afternoon before moving into southern Manitoba tonight.
In general, 10 to 15 cm in total is expected over most of the region. However, communities in the Manitoba Parklands could see total accumulations approach or locally exceed the 20 cm mark by the time this system moves on.
The bulk of the snow will begin to taper off during the pre-dawn hours Tuesday morning in eastern Saskatchewan. The snow will abate over western Manitoba later Tuesday morning with the Red River Valley and points east following Tuesday afternoon.
Strong, gusty northerly winds will follow the snow on the back side of this system Tuesday afternoon. Gusts in excess of 70 km/h are possible downwind of Lake Manitoba, the south basin of Lake Winnipeg, and over most of the Red River Valley. The combination of the freshly fallen snow and gusty winds will produce blowing snow that will severely hamper visibilities on highways. In addition, wind gusts could be closer to 90 km/h over the ice-covered lakes with blizzard conditions possible during the afternoon. Blizzard conditions are possible in portions of the Red River Valley Tuesday afternoon as well. Gusts will begin to diminish Tuesday evening prompting better visibilities by Wednesday morning. Continue to monitor your local forecast in the event warnings are upgraded as the event draws closer.
Lastly, an arctic ridge of high pressure behind this storm system will bring a return of bitterly cold temperatures to the region, notably overnight Tuesday into Wednesday. Wind chill values will likely approach the minus 40 mark once again before temperatures moderate somewhat to end the week.