Some good news for Winnipeggers waking up to chilling cold weather Friday — things are about to take a dramatic turn for the warmer.
Environment Canada meteorologist Kyle Ziolkowski told 680 CJOB’s The Start that the polar vortex the region has been experiencing is headed back north, and southern Manitoba will be the recipient of some welcome warm air.
However, with warmer air also comes stronger winds, he said.
“In order to get this warmth, we’re going to have to pay for it with a few little systems that’ll come through that will give us a few skiffs of snow,” he said.
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“And on top of that, you’ll get a little bit of wind as those systems come rolling through.”
Ziolkowski said the warm-up is expected to last at least a week — some much-needed relief for Manitobans who have been dealing with the bitter cold.
“Looking (at the forecast) about a week out, it looks like it’ll last until next weekend,” he said.
Environment Canada’s senior climatologist David Philips told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg that despite this recent cold snap, southern Manitoba has had a fairly easy winter so far.
“The number of cold days in Winnipeg — typically these would be days below -20 — you’ve had 21 of those guys, where normally you’d have 34,” Phillips said.
“The lack of precipitation — I think people are always worried about flooding — you’ve had half the amount of precipitation you had last year.”
Monday, Philips said, will be the first time in 70 days that the region will see above-zero temperatures — and it doesn’t end there.
“Tuesday we’re calling for a high of +2, that’s 12 degrees warmer than it should be for that time of year, so it’s really a glorious moment.
The days are just galloping along as far as the day length. I think you’re gaining about three and-a-half minutes a day. You can see that when you commute every day — the sun’s a little higher, it’s more intense.”
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