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Spring flood forecast helped by Winnipeg’s driest March on record

St. Laurent, Manitoba. Daryle Friesen/submitted

With all eyes on the Red River Valley and the potential flood risks from massive amounts of water flowing north, the weather in March has been as accommodating as anyone could possibly ask for.

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The temperatures have encouraged a slow melting process and there has been no precipitation through the entire month registered near the Winnipeg airport.

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An Environment and Climate Change Canada weather station, located near James Richardson Airport, has yet to record a fraction of a millimetre of precipitation this month. The station read 0.0 mm as of Thursday, making it the driest month on record in Winnipeg so far.

Records began in Winnipeg in 1872. The driest March up to now was 1939, where 1.5 mm was registered at the airport weather station.

Here are the top 10 driest March’s on record from Environment and Climate Change Canada

  • 2019 – 0.0 mm
  • 1939 – 1.5 mm
  • 1924 – 2.3 mm
  • 1915 – 2.8 mm
  • 1875 – 3.6 mm
  • 1881 – 3.6 mm
  • 1893 – 5.6 mm
  • 1994 – 6.0 mm
  • 1883 – 6.1 mm
  • 1901 – 6.6 mm

While there are still a few days left in the month and it is likely parts of southern Manitoba will see a few scattered showers or flurry activity, no significant precipitation is expected that would move March of 2019 out of the list of driest March’s since 1872.

WATCH: Flood preparations underway on the Red River

Click to play video: 'Flood preparations underway on the Red River'
Flood preparations underway on the Red River

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