Heavy snow expected to hit parts of southern Manitoba Thursday
10-20 cm forecast to fall, bringing localized blowing snow and reduced visibility
Heavy snow is expected to hit parts of southwestern and south-central Manitoba this week, with 10 to 20 centimetres forecast to build up between Thursday and Friday.
On Wednesday, Environment and Climate Change Canada issued snowfall warnings for a large swath of western Manitoba to the west of Lake Winnipgosis and to the west and south of Lake Manitoba. The warnings include the Porcupine Provincial Forest, Duck Mountain, Dauphin, Riding Mountain National Park, Russell and Minnedosa areas.
The heaviest snowfall, which will bring localized blowing snow and reduced visibility, is expected to start late Thursday afternoon and end overnight Friday.
Travel in the affected areas will become more dangerous late Thursday and throughout the day on Friday, Environment Canada said, warning travellers to be cautious and adjust to road conditions while driving through rapidly accumulating snow.
Environment Canada also issued a special weather statement for much of the rest of southern Manitoba, including the Brandon and Winnipeg areas, advising that heavy, rapidly accumulating snowfall is expected over the same period.
The exact track of the heaviest snow was unclear as of Wednesday, the agency said, with the cities of Brandon and Winnipeg on the edge of the heaviest snow. Snowfall warnings will likely be issued for other parts of southern Manitoba as the system gets closer, Environment Canada said.
The snowfall is the result of a developing low-pressure system in Alberta blowing across the border into southern Saskatchewan and into southwestern Manitoba.
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