Tough commute likely in Winnipeg as wind-blown snow hits Manitoba
Plan a little extra time into your drive on Friday as a dose of snow arrives on the eastern Prairies to round out the week.
A low-pressure system moving in from the west promises to bring a widespread blanket of snow to the region beginning late Thursday and continuing into Friday. Folks around the Winnipeg area could deal with a slow and slick commute on Friday morning. Gusty winds could create near-whiteout conditions at times.
Going somewhere? Check out the current highway conditions before heading out!
This is the same overall system that’s brought headaches to folks from B.C. to Saskatchewan over the past couple of days.
Our low-pressure system is currently getting organized over eastern Montana, ready to slip over the border late Thursday as it drops a blanket of snow on southern Manitoba into the day Friday.
A boost of moisture drawing in from the south will help bump up snowfall totals a bit. Areas that fall under persistent bands of snow may see double-digit accumulations by the end of the day Friday.
WATCH: Winnipeg on alert for a snowy, slick Friday morning commute
The greatest totals are likely around the Interlake region, where forecasters expect 10-20+ cm of snow through Friday. Totals will range closer to 5-10 cm closer to Winnipeg, with the lowest totals expected along the international border.
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Gusty winds will accompany this storm as it treks through the region. Wind gusts of 40-60 km/h will blow over the region as the snow falls, significantly reducing visibility and even leading to near-whiteout conditions at times.
Snow-covered roads with reduced visibility will significantly hamper any travel on Friday, including the morning commute around the Winnipeg area. Plan extra time into your Friday morning commute and use caution if you have to travel through the snow. It’s best to avoid travel if at all possible.
Our system will move east into northwestern Ontario overnight Friday into early Saturday. The bulk of the snow will miss the region’s population centres, leaving behind a light dusting of 3-5 cm toward Kenora and Dryden.
Thankfully for folks pining for calmer weather, this should be the last of the action for a while. After this system departs, we’ll see a break in major systems on the Prairies heading into next week.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across the eastern Prairies.
