Snow is coming to Winnipeg and southern Manitoba. Lots of snow.
Environment Canada put the city under a special weather statement Tuesday, warning days of snowfall starting Tuesday night could bring as much as four centimetres of the white stuff by Wednesday morning.
But that’s just the beginning, says Environment Canada meteorologist Danielle Desjardins.
“We are going to see a prolonged period of snow here in southern Manitoba,” Desjardins told 680 CJOB Tuesday afternoon.
“In general, we’re looking at 20 to 30 centimetres across southern Manitoba. Winnipeg itself looks to be in the 15-to-20 centimetre range for the storm totals.
“So, off-and-on snow for the next few days until about Friday morning or so.”
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The blast of winter weather is part of a strong and widespread air pressure system coming from the U.S. that will bring snowfall, wind and icy conditions to several Canadian provinces, Environment Canada meteorologist Steven Flisfeder said.
Flisfeder said the low atmosphere pressure system — known as the Colorado low — typically forms east of the American Rockies before making its way northeast, towards the Great Lakes.
“The impacts associated with it are going to be widespread,” he said in a phone interview.
“It’s gonna be touching anywhere from far southeastern Saskatchewan all the way to the Maritimes. As the system progresses eastward, southern Quebec will be affected before it finally makes its way toward New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.”
Desjardins said while the snowfall should be “fairly evenly spread out” over Winnipeg through the week, there are heavier periods forecast during the days.
And warmer temperatures forecast for the city this week will make the snow Winnipeg gets both wet and heavy, the special weather statement warns.
In a release Tuesday the City of Winnipeg said crews are ready to deal with the expected snowfall.
“Accumulations of snow will be monitored and further decisions will be made as the weather system passes through the city,” the city said.
“Motorists are reminded to drive to conditions and to use extreme caution when driving near heavy equipment.”
The city’s annual winter route parking ban remains in effect daily from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Desjardins says Winnipeg will likely return to more normal temperatures — daytime highs in the low minus teens to minus 20s — by next week.
— with files from The Canadian Press
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