Another Holiday Treat of Winter Warmth On the Way.

 Southern Manitoba will begin to transition into warmer than average weather over the next couple of days as a slight ridge builds over the northern plains with a westerly flow aloft , we will be on the northern edge of a ridge. This ridge will not be a typical pattern that we see in the summer more of the warm will be confined to the southern states. Several areas of low pressure will sit over the southern portion of the province over the coming days, on the northern edge of the ridge bringing with it chances for snow to end the week.

Wednesday: Partly cloudy today mostly cloudy skies are expected in the region, with some exceptions in Interlake regions where clear skies may occur in the afternoon hours. A area of low pressure will start building north into central regions of Manitoba and sections of northwestern Ontario, trailing cold fronts will sit over central regions Manitoba including the inter lake regions. A band of snow will develop in South Eastern sections of Manitoba which will only last through the early afternoon to late afternoon hours before it moves into Ontario. There will be a chance for flurries in the afternoon and evening elsewhere in the southern sections of Manitoba except for the inter lakes. As as for our daytime high temperatures temperatures are in the mid to high minus single digits (-5 to -9C) with the exception of the Manitoba lakes getting into the -10°C mark. Winnipeg: Cloudy, chance of flurries, high -3°C. Brandon: Cloudy, 30% chance of flurries in the afternoon. High -5°C. 

Wednesday night: A small weak cold front will be sitting over the south, which will be stationary. Not much in the way of precipitation is expected overnight into Thursday. Mainly cloudy skies are expected through the night. Temperatures will drop into the high minus single digits (-7 to 10C) with a few sections over lake Manitoba and south of the lake itself by the pembina valley seeing temperatures in the low minus double digits (-11 to -14C). Winnipeg: Mainly cloudy: Low -9C. Brandon: Cloudy, low -9C. 

Thursday: A warm front and a low pressure system will lift northwards into central regions of Manitoba and will draw in warmer air for the day on Thursday.  This will be followed by cloudy skies a chance for flurries and some small pockets of sunny skies in southern portions of Manitoba by Duck Mountain and possibly the international peace gardens. Temperatures will soar into the low and mid minus single digits (-3 to -8C). Winnipeg: Cloudy, 30% chance of flurries high temperature -4C. Brandon: Cloudy, high -4C.

Thursday Night: Cloudy skies are expected.  A cold front will move through southern sections of Manitoba, overnight into Friday. A large swath of snow will develop along the front indications are that it will either intensify over southern Manitoba by Brandon or , just east of Winnipeg. Regardless snow is expected for the region heading into Friday. Accumulation will vary from 2 to 5cm, with the possibility of near 10cm in heavier bands.  Temperatures will rise overnight instead of drop. They will sit in the low to mid minus single digits (-2 to -6C). Winnipeg: Periods of snow, low temperature -3C. Brandon: Periods of snow. Low temperature minus 3C. 

Friday: A shift in the pattern will occur as the cold front that allowed snow to impact the region moves into Ontario. Cloudy skies , along with some residual snow will impact areas of southeastern Manitoba in the late morning and early afternoon hours. Whereas clearing skies and sunny skies will occur in southwestern Manitoba behind the front toward noon, this will move east throughout the day as high pressure settles in. Temperatures will drop during the day from the mid low or mid minus single digits (-2 to -5C) around sunrise to the low to mid minus double digits (-10 to -15C) with the high temperatures being reached around sunrise. Winnipeg: Snow and blowing snow in the morning , partly cloudy in the afternoon. High -3C, temperature falling to -10C in the afternoon then -13C in the evening. Brandon: Flurries in the morning, then sunny. High -2C in the morning, temperature falling to -13C in the afternoon then -15C in the evening. 

Friday Night: With the Arctic cold front by Lake Superior in the evening and a attendant high pressure system over central Manitoba , along with clear skies it’s possible we might have some stronger NW winds in place which will aid in dropping temperatures into the mid to high minus double digits (-14 to -19C). Theres a possibly of low minus twenties (-20 to -21C) over lake Winnipeg overnight into Saturday. Cloudy skies will increase towards morning. Winnipeg: Clear then mostly cloudy by morning. Low -16C. Windchill >-16C. Brandon: Clear, then mostly cloudy towards morning. Low temperature -17C, windchill >-17C. 

The Weekend: Looks like more seasonal temperatures in the mid minus single digits for daytime highs will return , with the arrival of a westerly flow once again as low pressure systems sit over the province of Manitoba. A few chances for snow look possible with these systems. I’ll definitely keep an eye on this for my Friday forecast. -Mike McGregor