Top 10 Weather Stories of 2024 in the Winnipeg Area

 10 - Finally a Warm April - the Warmest Since 2012

Southern Manitobans finally experienced a warm April, a first in several years. In Winnipeg, it was the first warmer than normal April since 2017, ending a six-year stretch of colder than normal Aprils. It wasn’t even that extraordinary, averaging only two degrees above normal, tied 31st warmest since 1872. 22 days exceeded 10°C, the most since 2010, and tied 15th most since 1872. 

On April 13, temperatures exceeded 20°C in parts of southern Manitoba, particularly in the western Red River Valley and southwestern Manitoba. Areas around Melita reached 23°C, while Morden reached 22°C. 

April 25 was the warmest day of the month. Temperatures soared into the mid twenties across southern Manitoba. Winnipeg Airport reached 24.3°C, the warmest April day since 2015. This was, however, only two degrees warmer than the average warmest day in April. This proved how unusually cold Aprils had been in the last decade. Portage la Prairie reached 26.0°C, Elm Creek 25.9°C, Morden 25.8°C, Carman 25.7°C, Deloraine 25.0°C and Brandon 24.0°C. The warm weather was unfortunately accompanied by very strong southerly winds. The winds caused a dust storm south of Winnipeg with several hours of blowing dust in Grand Forks, ND, and Emerson, MB. Dusty skies reached Winnipeg late afternoon and early evening but was much less severe than south of the city. Webcams showed blowing dust at Elie, Letellier, Gretna and Emerson. Grand Forks was down to 3 km visibility much of the day with wind gusts to 80 km/h. 

Blowing dust at Grand Forks, ND, on April 25 (NDDOT)

The first rumbles of thunder were heard in south Winnipeg on April 10. The Airport, however, did not record thunder until May. Pea-sized hail also fell in south Winnipeg on Aril 11 but without thunder. 

 9 - March 3-4 Colorado Low Brings Thunderstorm and Freezing Rain

A Colorado Low March 3-4 brought a large snowstorm to Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba and intermittent freezing rain in the Red River Valley for several hours, including Winnipeg. In the Winnipeg area, ice accretion from freezing rain, followed by wind gusts up to 70 km/h during the night, caused power flashes, thousands of power outages and flickering lights. However, it only amounted to around half a millimetre. Bouncing power lines were reported by Manitoba Hydro. The automatic wind sensor at the Airport froze over during the freezing rain, preventing accurate wind measurements throughout the night. 

The most unusual aspect of the system was the thunderstorms. Loud thunder and frequent lightning were witnessed south of Portage la Prairie and north of Winnipeg. Primarily snow, freezing rain and ice pellets fell with the thunderstorms, with some small hail reported as well. 

Lightning detected March 3 (ECCC)

Southwestern Manitoba was slammed by a major snowstorm with 25 to 35 cm. Brandon received around 30 cm. Brandon University and Brandon School Division cancelled classes because of the storm. Canada Post suspended mail delivery. Most highways were closed. The snow was welcomed by farmers after a very dry winter. Further east, only 5 cm of snow fell in Winnipeg with the system. 

Another snowstorm struck southern Manitoba on the 6th, dumping over 10 cm. Winnipeg received 13 cm, while Brandon received another 15.6 cm. This brought snowfall totals to around 55 cm in Brandon during the month of March, the 4th snowiest March on record since 1890 and the snowiest since 1953. 

Lorne Avenue in Brandon (Matt Goerzen/Brandon Sun)

Saskatchewan was particularly hard hit by the system on March 3-4 as well. Saskatoon received 30 to 40 cm, the worst snowstorm since 2007 in the city.  Amounts over 30 cm were widespread, reported also in Eatonia, Maymont, Wilkie, Conquest, Watrous, Ile-a-la-Crosse and northeast of North Battleford. Numerous highways and schools were closed, and flights at Saskatoon and Regina were cancelled. Essentially all city services were shut down or delayed in Saskatoon. Gusty winds also carved out some massive drifts. 

The system also brought abnormally warm weather south of the border with Minneapolis reaching 22°C, their earliest date on record to reach at least 21°C.

Precipitation amounts March 3-4, showing swath of heaviest snowfall (Weatherlogics)

Freezing rain at Manitou (Emerson Klimpke/Twitter/X)

 8 - Record Snowstorm in Southwestern Manitoba May 24

Precipitation amounts May 24 (Weatherlogics)

A strong low-pressure system originating in Wyoming or Colorado brought heavy precipitation to southern Manitoba May 24 and May 25. Widespread precipitation amounts of 30 to 70 mm fell in the Red River Valley, southwestern Manitoba and the Interlake. The precipitation fell as torrential rains in the Red River Valley, with the highest amounts being over 80 mm around Morden-Winkler where easterly winds generated upslope enhancement. In southwestern Manitoba, it fell as rain transitioning to heavy snowfall in the morning of the 24th. The snow that then fell on the 24th was, in fact, one of the most widespread heavy snowfalls ever recorded so late in the season in southern Manitoba. Up to 15 to 25 cm of snow fell in the higher elevations of Turtle Mountain and Riding Mountain, as well as in areas south and east of Brandon. The snow fell generally along and west of the escarpment, and east of the Saskatchewan border. 

Riding Mountain along Highway 10 (Carly Klippenstein/Weather Centre of Manitoba Facebook)

The snow that fell was extremely wet and heavy, weighing down on trees and power lines. It was accompanied by wind gusts of 60 to 70 km/h. As a result, many power outages occurred and some branches snapped off trees. Highways were also very slick, particularly where the snow accumulated the most, resulting in some drivers sliding into the ditch. Brandon’s Rib Fest had to be postponed.

These types of widespread snowfall amounts were extremely rare that late in the season. The only known comparable events were on June 4-6, 1901, and May 26-27, 1965. The 1901 event featured Brandon’s heaviest late season snowfall with 15 cm. Minnedosa received 6 cm with that storm. The 1965 event featured 19 cm in Riding Mountain, 11 cm in Dauphin and a widespread 2 to 10 cm across southern Manitoba, perhaps the closest comparison to the 2024 event. 

Snowfall Amounts May 24-25		Source
International Peace Gardens	20-25 cm	NDAWN
‘’North’’ of Ninette	20 cm	Social media
Wasagaming	18 cm	ECCC-auto
Killarney	At least 17 cm	Social media
Baldur	17 cm	ECCC-volunteer
Carberry	14 cm	ECCC-auto
Cartwright	At least 11 cm	Social media
McCreary	10 cm	ECCC-auto
Rivers	6 cm	ECCC-volunteer
Dauphin Airport	5 cm	ECCC-auto
Pilot Mound	5 cm	ECCC-auto
Cypress River	4 cm	ECCC-auto
Shoal Lake	3 cm	ECCC-auto
Brandon Airport	2 cm	Nav Canada
Roblin	2 cm	ECCC-volunteer

The snow also fell in a narrow zone stretching from Turtle Mountain to as far south as southwest of Jamestown, North Dakota. 

(Top) Turtle Mountain (Gail Patterson). (Bottom) North of Ninette (Linda Bessant) / Weather Centre of Manitoba Facebook

The system also brought heavy rain across southern Manitoba, particularly in the western Red River Valley. The Morden-Winkler area took the brunt of the rainfall, with 75 to 110 mm. Significant overland flooding occurred, and the province had issued an overland flood warning in anticipation of the event. ECCC had also issued rainfall warnings. In Morden and Winkler, residents were asked to conserve water to reduce strain on the sewer systems. 

Winnipeg received 30 to 40 mm with the system. 

Flooding at (top) Morden, and (bottom) Winkler / Pembina Valley Online

 7 - Damaging Windstorms Sep 29-30 and Oct 5-6

Two low pressure systems brought very strong winds across southern Manitoba on September 29-30 and October 5-6. The winds produced numerous power outages as well as uprooted numerous trees, making them the most damaging wind events of the year. 

Very strong southerly winds accompanied hot weather on September 29 across southern Manitoba with gusts up to 80 km/h. Strong winds continued through the night until a cold front switched winds to westerly. The westerly winds behind the cold front on the 30th were even stronger than the southerlies on the 29th. The winds produced numerous power outages across southern Manitoba as branches, twigs and power lines were knocked down. Thousands of Manitobans lost power. Westerly winds on the 30th gusted between 80 and 100 km/h. The strongest winds were on the lakes and lake shores. George Island in the north basin of Lake Winnipeg gusted to 107 km/h while Victoria Beach gusted to 102 km/h. Southwestern Manitoba saw widespread gusts over 80 km/h and 90 km/h. Minnedosa gusted to 95 km/h, Brandon 94 km/h, Somerset 94 km/h, Dauphin and Austin 91 km/h.

Branch down in Brandon September 30 (Tim Smith/Brandon Sun)

On October 5 and overnight on October 6, a strong low-pressure system moving through the northern Interlake brought very strong winds to southern Manitoba. Winds gusted up to 99 km/h, the strongest being in southwestern Manitoba and the western Red River Valley. Gusts between 85 km/h and 95 km/h were widespread.

Wind Gusts October 5-6
Pierson, Windygates	99 km/h
Treherne	98 km/h
Bede	97 km/h
Manitou, Reston	95 km/h
Killarney, Brandon Airport	94 km/h
Minnedosa, Virden	92 km/h
Dauphin Airport, Pilot Mound	91 km/h
Wawanesa, Rivers	90 km/h
Brunkild, Melita	89 km/h
Neepawa	88 km/h
Winnipeg Airport	81 km/h

The strongest winds, however, were in southeastern Saskatchewan and northern North Dakota. Gusts to 107 km/h were recorded in Estevan. Gusts to 113 km/h were recorded in Langdon, ND and 121 km/h at Devils Lake, ND. 

The winds caused damage to trees with multiple trees or branches knocked down. It did not help that the trees still had their leaves, making damage easier. In southeastern Saskatchewan, the wind damage was worst given the stronger winds. Around Regina, trees were knocked down and even a semi truck was toppled. Street signs and lights were knocked down as well. There were localized reports of blowing dust in North Dakota and Manitoba with the winds, but it did not appear to be widespread. 

There were many power outages because of the winds. Some parts of western Winnipeg lost power for over 12 hours.

Tree down along Churchill Drive in Winnipeg October 11 after windstorms

 6 - Stormy May to July Highlights Stormiest Year Since 2007

The May to July period was stormy with frequent rain and thunderstorms. The Airport received over 100 mm of rain in each of the three months. It is rare to have three consecutive months with over 100 mm of rain at a given station, only having been recorded at the Airport once before in 1953, also from May to July.  Other than that, St John’s College recorded it in 1896 from April to June. The Airport received 114.7 mm of rain in May, the 14th rainiest and 17th wettest May on record since 1872. 103.2 mm fell in June, the 36th rainiest June. 114.0 mm fell in July, the 26th rainiest July and the rainiest since 2009 (but The Forks was rainier in 2022). 

In total, there were 31 days with thunderstorms reported at the Airport in 2024, the most since 2007 when there were 32 days. I recorded 32 days in Southdale in 2024. These values were still far from the stormiest year on record, 1994, which had 38 days with a thunderstorm at the Airport. July was the stormiest month with 12 thunderstorm days at the Airport, tied second most since 1953 with 1953, 1977, 1978 and 1988. It was the most active July thunderstorm-wise since 1988. Southern parts of the city had 13 thunderstorm days in July, which would have tied with 1986. May was also abnormally stormy with 6 thunderstorm days, the most since 2007 and tied 5th most since 1953.

June rainfall wasn’t too spectacular in Winnipeg with the highest monthly amounts west of the city. Carberry received the most with 163.7 mm, followed by Russell with 155.1 mm, Carman 143.9 mm and Cypress River 141.2 mm. 

May 16 Winnipeg Area Hailstorm

Slow-moving and isolated severe thunderstorms developed in the Winnipeg area in the afternoon of May 16. They were prolific hail producers, dumping significant amounts of hail, some as large as 3 cm in diameter. The most potent thunderstorm cell moved through western and southwestern portions of Winnipeg where hail as large as 3 cm in diameter fell. The hail fell heavily and accumulated like snow. Similar amounts and sizes of hail were reported south of the city as well. The rain also caused some flooding on streets, with 20 to 30 mm of rainfall. Localized hail fog was reported after the storms, a phenomenon that occurs after significant hail accumulation. Hail remained on the ground for hours into the evening. The storms were reminiscent of the May 10 hailstorms in 2023. 

The hail caused property damage to homes and cars. Several cars were reported stalled in floodwaters on Portage Avenue. So many vehicles were damaged that MPI opened a temporary hail-damage estimate centre on Plessis Rd. More than a thousand hail claims were made because of the hailstorm. In Winnipeg, some trees or branches were downed and basements flooded because of the storm. 

A tornado warning was issued south of Winnipeg with one of the storm cells in the early evening, but no confirmations of a tornado were received. A wind gust of 90 km/h was recorded at Morris. 

Hail in west Winnipeg May 16 (Shelley Cook/Twitter/X)

June 12 Tornado Outbreak in Southwestern Manitoba with 5 Tornadoes

The Northern Tornadoes Project confirmed five tornadoes in southwestern Manitoba as a supercell thunderstorm moved southeastwards from Rivers to St Alphonse on June 12. Several storm chasers were present, making the event highly documented. An additional tornado occurred near Saltcoats, SK. Golf ball sized hail also fell with the storms.

June 16 Overnight Bow Echo Event, Possible Derecho

A complex of severe thunderstorms developed in Montana in the afternoon and evening on June 15. Damaging winds, incessant lightning and stunning shelf clouds were the main features. The storm complex developed into a large bow echo or squall line which raced through southern Manitoba during the overnight hours on June 16. Starting in southwestern Manitoba, winds over 100 km/h were recorded. The strongest gust of 123 km/h was recorded at Dand. Widespread damage occurred, including broken branches, fallen trees, and ripped shingles. Thousands of customers lost power, and in some cases were not restored until the following day. In northwestern North Dakota, gusts between 80 km/h and 100 km/h were recorded. 

Mess of branches in Deloraine after gusts of 101 km/h (Loma Canada-Vanegas Mesa/Weather Centre of Manitoba Facebook)

Downed power lines in SW Mb (Manitoba Hydro)

By the time the complex reached the Red River Valley, it had weakened with gusts between 60 and 80 km/h. Lightning was nearly constant along with rolling thunder and heavy downpours. Some hail fell locally including nickel to toonie sized hail around Glenboro, and pea sized hail in southern parts of Winnipeg. Generally, 10 to 30 mm of rain fell across southern Manitoba, but some localized amounts of 30 to 45 mm were recorded. Southern parts of Winnipeg recorded up to 25 mm or so.

In the afternoon on the 16th, strong westerly winds occurred, not associated with thunderstorms. Some gusts over 90 km/h were recorded in southwestern Manitoba, causing more damage to power lines and trees. Localized dust storms were recorded as well, particularly around Miami.

June 22 Brandon Hailstorm

Severe thunderstorms formed in southwestern Manitoba in the afternoon on June 22. The worst storm moved through Brandon, dumping large hail up to ping pong ball sized (3-4 cm diameter) in southern parts of the city. The storms also produced a tornado just south of Killarney. 

Additional isolated severe thunderstorms moved into extreme southwestern Manitoba in the evening from Saskatchewan. Pierson received 3-4 cm diameter hail with these. 

As the leftover storms and showers moved out of the Red River Valley in the evening, there was a spectacular rainbow.

June 24 Early Morning Strong Winds from ND Storm Complex

Very strong southerly winds came out of a storm complex in North Dakota that grazed the US border early in the morning on June 24 between 3 and 10 am. Wind gusts included 111 km/h in Emerson, 103 km/h in Altona, 96 km/h at Brandon Airport, 94 km/h in Manitou and 91 km/h in Pilot Mound. There were also several gusts in the 80-90 km/h range. Rainfall amounts were unremarkable with only a few millimetres. Pierson had a localized storm which brought rainfall amounts to 14 mm.

Canada Day Washout

A system moving through southern Manitoba brought heavy rains and embedded thunderstorms on July 1 and 2. The thunderstorms were mostly non-severe with heavy downpours. A few Canada Day celebrations were postponed because of the rain and lightning. The first wave of rain and storms occurred in the morning on July 1. The second and heaviest wave moved through in the evening and overnight. Then, isolated thunderstorms occurred again in the afternoon of July 2. Locally 16 mm fell with these in Winnipeg’s Fort Rouge area. A funnel cloud was also reported in Portage la Prairie. 

The Morden-Winkler area was hardest hit with 60 to 90 mm of rain with the system. Residents were asked by the municipalities to reduce water usage to prevent sewer backup because of the heavy storm water. However, some basements were still flooded and there was overland flooding. 

In Winnipeg, rainfall amounts with the system were highest from Westwood through downtown and central parts of the city to Windsor Park with 40 to 50 mm. 30 to 40 mm fell in other parts.

July 4 Deluge at Winnipeg Airport – 41 mm in an hour

Pop-up nearly stationary thunderstorms developed along the spine of the Red River Valley and southern Interlake early in the afternoon on July 4. The storms dumped impressive amounts of rain in a short period of time, but only very locally. While the Winnipeg Airport received over 40 mm, southeastern parts of the city only received a few drops. 

At the peak of the storm, Winnipeg Airport received 41.3 mm in an hour, 37.6 mm of which fell in 30 minutes. The same station had a 53 mm in an hour downpour in both 2022 and 2023. Three years in a row of over 40 mm in an hour is very rare.

The storms flooded streets in west Winnipeg, from Charleswood to Westwood to Tyndall Park. Hail up to nickel sized was reported around the Airport as well. Another cell later dropped pea sized hail in North Kildonan. A funnel cloud was also seen near Woodlands.

Flooding in Charleswood July 4 (Deb Thickett/Twitter/X)

July 13 Severe Thunderstorms

A complex of storms moved through southern Manitoba in the overnight and morning of July 13, following a very hot and humid two-day period. The storms were most severe west of Winnipeg with damaging wind gusts between Brandon and Portage la Prairie. Austin recorded a gust of 106 km/h while Brandon Airport recorded 91 km/h. The swath of strong winds continued through the Elie, Teulon, Beausejour and Pinawa areas with gusts of 60 to 90 km/h. Some damage to gardens was reported in Brandon and Austin along with downed branches and trees. Loonie sized hail also fell south of Oak Bluff. Once the storms reached Winnipeg, they were non-severe with heavy downpours, pea sized hail and frequent lightning. 

Hillside Beach July 13 (Stuart S/Twitter/X)

Yet another round of thunderstorms developed in the afternoon on July 13. The worst storm was in the Austin area where tennis-ball sized hail fell. Separate storms in the Interlake brought a magnificent shelf cloud to cottage country around Lake Winnipeg. In the evening, more thunderstorms developed in southeastern Manitoba, apparently dropping golf ball sized hail in the St Malo area according to ECCC.

July 20 Funnel Cloud near Oak Bluff

Thunderstorms moved in from the east into southern and southeastern parts of Winnipeg late afternoon and early evening on July 20. One storm produced a funnel cloud which reached at least half-way to the ground somewhere between Oak Bluff and Waverley West. Another funnel cloud was seen between La Rivière and Pilot Mound shortly afterwards. The storms were largely non-severe with mostly heavy rain, pea sized hail and thunder. Quarter sized hail was reported near Vita.

Funnel cloud from Waverley West (Stephanie Sproule/Twitter/X)

 5 - Biblical Deluge of Rain September 16-17 South and East of Winnipeg

Abnormally humid weather in mid September culminated in a deluge of rain and severe thunderstorms on the 16th and 17th south and east of Winnipeg. High amounts of moisture originating from the Gulf of Mexico streamed northward across the US Plains, reaching a quasi-stationary warm front along the US border with Manitoba. As this moisture lifted above the warm front in southern Manitoba, waves of heavy thunderstorm complexes developed beginning overnight on the 16th and lasting until the afternoon on the 17th. As the storms moved roughly parallel to the warm front, they trained over the same spots repeatedly, producing a swath of 100 mm to 200 mm of rain from Winkler northeastward to northern parts of the Whiteshell. The heaviest rain fell on the 17th in the Ste Anne to Elma corridor where over 150 mm of rain was recorded in as little as 3 hours. 24 or 25-hour rainfall totals reached as high as 210 mm in this swath, one of the heaviest rainfall events ever recorded in the province. Elsewhere, amounts between 50 and 100 mm fell further southeastward.

Rainfall amounts September 16-17
La Coulée (E of St Anne)	210.3 mm
Elma	208.9 mm
Mitchell	190.5 mm
St Pierre	167.0 mm
Richer	161.6 mm
Steinbach	155-158 mm
Kleefeld	150.6 mm
Schanzenfeld	143.0 mm
Blumenort	142.9 mm
Winkler	133.5 mm
St Jean Baptiste	128.0 mm
Dominion City	103.7 mm
La Broquerie	101.6 mm

The high rainfall amounts produced significant overland flooding. Numerous streets and basements flooded, and some cars were submerged. Farmers were not impressed by the heavy rains which fell at a critical harvesting time. An arena in Steinbach was damaged by flooding. Significant flooding was reported in the communities of Ste Anne, Blumenort, Steinbach, Mitchell, Kleefeld, St Pierre and Winkler, and there was flooding at points in between. 

Winnipeg was largely spared, experiencing mostly the stratiform precipitation parts of the thunderstorm complexes. This still produced thunder and lightning mid morning and mid afternoon on the 16th, and during the overnight hours of the 17th. Rain showers were light to moderate, with a general 10 to 25 mm in the city.

The thunderstorm complex in the afternoon on the 16th also developed into a bow echo. The apex of the bow echo brought damaging winds from St Pierre to Steinbach, with wind gusts up to 90 km/h recorded. Trees were knocked down. A tornado warning was issued for the storm, due to rotation detected on radar. No confirmations of touchdowns were received, but funnel clouds were reported.

24-hour radar-estimated rainfall accumulations 10am Sep 16 to 10am Sep 17 (ECCC)

Flooding in Kleefeld Sep 17 (Nicole Krieger/Weather Centre of Manitoba Facebook)

Another wave of heavy thunderstorms occurred on September 18 when a strong low-pressure system from Montana spread another line of thunderstorms through southern Manitoba in the morning. Torrential downpours, loud thunder and frequent lightning occurred for the third day in a row. The fast nature of the storms resulted in lower rainfall amounts, with a general 5 to 30 mm across southern Manitoba. Winnipeg saw 5 to 15 mm. The highest amount recorded was 42.7 mm at the Aspenheim Hutterite Colony 5 miles northeast of MacGregor. 38.9 mm fell in Bagot, 34.5 mm in Kola, 32 to 36 mm in Morden, 31 mm in Holland, 27 mm in Winkler and 25 mm in Gladstone. The storms also produced a magnificent shelf cloud in southwestern Manitoba early in the morning.

More thunderstorms late in the day on the 18th occurred as well. Tornado warnings were issued southeast of Brandon after sunset, but there were no reports of touchdowns. Nearly constant lightning and heavy rain accompanied the storms. A tornado did touch down on September 18 near Langbank, Saskatchewan.

Shelf cloud at Foxwarren early morning Sep 18 (Debbie Lyttle/Weather Centre of Manitoba Facebook)

 4 - Historically Rainy November

November was abnormally rainy with about ten times the normal rainfall, in large part due to two rainstorms on November 3-4 and November 19-20. About 60.5 mm of rain fell at the Airport, while the normal for November is only 6.3 mm. This places November as the 2nd rainiest on record, the rainiest being 62.2. mm in 1918. However, higher amounts fell in other parts of the city, including about 69 mm at The Forks. This would be the rainiest November on record in the city. The highest amounts were in southeastern parts of the city where up to 75 mm fell. 

November 3-4 Rainstorm

A system south of the border with a stream of moisture originating from the southern US brought unusually heavy rains to southern Manitoba November 3 and 4.

The first wave of rainfall moved through early in the morning on the 3rd, bringing locally heavy downpours. Southern and eastern parts of Winnipeg saw the heaviest rain in the city with locally 5 to 7 mm of rain within an hour. The Forks had 5.6 mm of rain in an hour. These numbers may not sound impressive but would be enough to break a November record if they had occurred at the Airport. The Airport only received 2.5 mm in an hour. The highest rainfall rate for the Airport in November was 3.8 mm in an hour in 1971. In total, 4 to 10 mm of rain fell in the city during the early morning event. Elsewhere, up to 10 mm fell in an hour around Niverville and Letellier according to Weather Underground stations, where locally 10 to 20 mm fell in the early morning.

The heaviest and most widespread rainfall had fallen late afternoon November 3 to the morning of November 4 when an additional 15 to 25 mm of rain fell in Winnipeg. This brought an event total of 32 mm at The Forks and 25 mm at the Airport, with localized amounts as high as 35 mm in south-central parts of Winnipeg. This easily made it the biggest November rainstorm since 2008 and 2000. The Airport recorded up to 3.8 mm in an hour, tying the November record from 1971. The heaviest rain fell in a swath through the western RRV and Interlake, dropping 20 to 30 mm. The highest 2-day storm totals were along the spine of the RRV, including through Winnipeg, in the Interlake and between Morden and Killarney.

Rainfall amounts November 3-4
Morris 14.2km ESE	37.8 mm
Altona, Gretna	35.8 mm
Cartwright	32.9 mm
Baldur	32.5 mm
Winnipeg The Forks	31.9 mm
Eriskdale	31.7 mm
Snowflake	31.4 mm
Arborg	29.6 m
Fisher Branch	29.2 mm
Winnipeg Airport	24.9 mm
Portage la Prairie	23.6 mm

In the few days following the rain event, significant frost developed at night on all surfaces, including bridges. An icy bridge at St Mary's and the Perimeter resulted in a six-vehicle crash. An icy bridge along highway 59 near Spring Hill caused a 19-vehicle crash which unfortunately claimed one life. West of the city on the Trans Canada near St Francois Xavier, a semi flipped into the ditch due to an icy bridge. The significant frost was likely due to the added moisture from the recent rains.

November 19-20 Record Late-Season Rainstorm

A system moving in from the southeast brought a rare late fall rainstorm to the Red River Valley and southeastern Manitoba, along with a snowstorm south and west of Winnipeg. The system did not originate in Colorado as these types of systems usually do, but instead in Mexico. These types of lows are sometimes called ''Texas Lows''. Coming from so far south, the system had ample amounts of moisture available from the Gulf of Mexico. 

In Winnipeg, it was one of the biggest rainstorms ever recorded so late in the season. Rain at times heavy began early in the morning on the 19th and poured all day, a very unusual sight for late November. A general 25 to 35 mm fell, with amounts as high as 38 mm in southeastern parts of the city. This was the 3rd rainiest November day on record in the city and the latest date in the season to receive that much rain. The heaviest rainfall amounts with the system were generally around Winnipeg and northward into the Gimli area where over 30 mm also fell.

Flooding in Winnipeg November 19

Amazingly, the city avoided the snow with the system, seeing only a few flurries overnight and during the day on the 20th. This was thanks to the fact the low-pressure centre stalled out over the city, keeping the city in the warmer air and keeping the wrap-around snowfall mostly west and south of the city. During the night, a very thin layer of slush did accumulate on cold surfaces in western parts of the city, amounting to only a trace to 0.2 cm. Snowfall of 2 or more cm fell as close to the city as Elie and Ste Agathe. This meant most of the city was still waiting on its first accumulation of the season, waiting even later than Vancouver, New Mexico, Colorado, and London, England. This was pure luck as the city avoided every significant snowfall up to that point. 

In southwestern Manitoba, the heaviest snowfall accumulations with the system were in higher elevations in Riding Mountain, as well as areas south of Brandon. Brandon was spared the highest accumulations as it remained in the 'shadow' of Riding Mountain. However, snow and blowing were still problematic early on the 20th with highway and school closures. The Trans Canada Highway was closed from Austin to the Saskatchewan border. Highway 10 south of Brandon and north of Onanole was also closed. Wind gusts with the snow reached up to 85 km/h. 

Due to significant blowing snow with the system, accurate snowfall amounts were hard to come by with the system. Snow drifts were reported as high as two feet. A general 10 to 20 cm fell across southwestern Manitoba, with 5 to 10 cm in southern and western parts of the Red River Valley. Localized amounts over 20 cm fell south of Brandon and in northern parts of Riding Mountain and Duck Mountain. The highest measured snowfall amount was 22 cm in Carberry. Snow sensors from ECCC also suggested around 20 cm in Deerwood and Cypress River. Brandon received around 10 cm, Dauphin 15 to 20 cm, Portage la Prairie 5 to 12 cm and Morden around 9 cm. Steinbach received 1 cm.

Saskatchewan was also hit hard by the system. Regina reported around 20 cm (Cocorahs). It appears Saskatoon had around the same amount. The city of Saskatoon reported 17 cm on its website. According to ECCC, Melfort and Humboldt received close to 40 cm.

 3 - Second Warmest Year on Record in Winnipeg Since 1872

2024 entered the ranks of ‘’ultra-warm’’ years with a mean temperature of 5.4°C, 2.5 degrees above the 1991-2020 normal of 2.9°C. It is only the third year on record to register a mean temperature over 5°C, the other two being 1931 and 1987. The warmth was in large part due to the strong El Nino that was experienced early in the year. However, other factors may have contributed to the impressive warmth this year as well, such as climate change and other global atmospheric factors. 1931 and 1987 were also El Nino years, which suggests we still require a significant El Nino event to experience one of these ‘’ultra-warm’’ years. 

Warmest Year by Mean Temperature Since 1872 in Winnipeg
1987	5.5°C
2024	5.4°C
1931	5.3°C
1878, 1998	4.7°C
2012, 2016	4.6°C
2006, 2021	4.5°C

Overall, the warmth lasted almost all year. June was the only colder than normal month, but it was only 0.6°C below normal. March was bang on normal. Every other month was warmer than normal. The warmth was unusually ‘sticky’, with cold spells being very short-lived and infrequent. As a result, there were about 4 weeks fewer days below -10°C and below -20°C than normal. 

25 days dipped below -20°C, the 3rd fewest since 1872. Only 1931 and 1987 had fewer with 17 days. Note that 2023 had 28 days, the 4th fewest. 

Winnipeg Airport 2024 Temperature Stats
Days above 30°C	11 days	Normal 13 days	53rd fewest (tied)
Days above 20°C	125 days	Normal 112 days	18th most (tied)
Days above 10°C	204 days	Normal 184 days	6th most (tied)
Days above 0°C	268 days	Normal 251 days	7th most
Days below -10°C	79 days	Normal 105 days	3rd fewest (tied)
Days below -20°C	25 days	Normal 52 days	3rd fewest
Days below -30°C	3 days	Normal 12 days	4th fewest (tied)

Rainy Year

2024 was also a rainy year in Winnipeg. About 540 mm of rain was recorded at Winnipeg Airport, the 14th rainiest year since 1872. 

Most Humid Year and Month on Record

It was also a humid year. The average dewpoint of 1.0°C at the Airport was easily the highest on record since 1953, beating 0.5°C in 1987 and 1998.

The summer (June to August) was the 3rd most humid on record with an average dewpoint of 13.8°C. Only the summers of 2010 (14.3°C) and 2012 (14.1°C) were more humid. July was the most humid month on record since 1953 with an average dewpoint of 16.9°C at the Airport, beating the previous record of 16.5°C in July 2012. 

Smoky Year

2024 was another smoky year, like 2023. There were 113 hours of smoke at the Airport, the 12th smokiest year since 1953. May was the smokiest on record with 19 hours, July was the 3rd smokiest with 42 hours, August was tied 5th smokiest with 27 hours, and September was 3rd smokiest with 25 hours.

 2 - Second Warmest Fall with Warmest September on Record

It was one of the most pleasant falls southern Manitoba has ever experienced with nearly constant above normal temperatures and abundant sunshine. September, October and November were all much warmer than normal. The warmth provided a much longer growing season that extended into early October. However, leaves remained on the trees well into October, not fully falling until the last week of October.

The September to November period, defined as meteorological fall, was the 2nd warmest on record since 1872 at Winnipeg Airport with a mean temperature of 8.3°C. This was 3.6°C above normal. Only 1963 was warmer.

Warmest Falls (Sep-Nov) by Mean Temperature Since 1872 in Winnipeg
1963	8.6°C
2024	8.3°C
2016	8.0°C
1931	7.9°C
1923	7.5°C

In addition, the average daily high temperature from September to November was 14.0°C, also 2nd warmest. 30 days exceeded 20°C, tied with 1897, 1914, 1938 and 2021 for 2nd most since 1872. 

Warmest Falls (Sep-Nov) by Average Daily High Temperature Since 1872 in Winnipeg
1963	15.0°C
2024	14.0°C
1923, 2021	13.2°C
1948	13.0°C

Warmest September on Record Since 1872

Winnipeg had its warmest September on record in 2024 with a mean temperature of 17.8°C at the Airport. This exceeded the previous record in 2009 by a tenth of a degree. Amazingly, this September had just been preceded by the 6th warmest September in 2023. 

Warmest Septembers by Mean Temperature Since 1872 in Winnipeg
2024	17.8°C
2009	17.7°C
1948	16.8°C
1940	16.6°C
1897	16.3°C
2023	16.2°C

Daily high temperatures averaged 24.5°C in September, the warmest since 1897 and the 2nd warmest on record since 1872. It was also only the second September on record with an average daily low temperature in the double digits. The average daily low of 11.0°C was just shy of 11.4°C in 2009. 

Leo Mol Sculpture Garden September 14

25 days reached or exceeded 20.0°C at Winnipeg Airport, tied the most on record with 1948. The 1991-2020 normal is 14 days. The lowest temperature was only 4.4°C, the highest on record by a large margin, beating 2.8°C in 1884, 1921, 1948, 1968 and 2004. Morden did not drop below 6.4°C. The coldest daily high of 18.0°C was also the highest on record, shattering the previous record of 15.4°C set just last year in 2023. 

The month was also abnormally humid with an average dewpoint of 11.8°C, the 2nd highest since 1953. The ERA5 ECMWF Reanalysis also showed the 2nd most humid September since 1940 in the area. Dewpoint and humidex records were broken on September 18 when the dewpoint reached 21.5°C and the humidex 34.0 at the Airport. This was the highest dewpoint after September 5 on record, and the second latest dewpoint over 21°C. Even higher dewpoints of 22°C and 23°C were observed in parts of southern Manitoba. The moisture originated all the way from the Gulf of Mexico. 

Much of southern Manitoba, North Dakota and Minnesota had its warmest September on record. Brandon and Portage la Prairie had their second warmest. Minneapolis also had its driest September with only 1.5 mm of rain, beating 5.6 mm in 2022. Fargo also had the driest September with 2.8 mm of rain, beating 3.0 mm in 2012. It was also the warmest September on record for Canada as a whole, for the second year in a row, according to the ECMWF ERA5 Reanalysis which goes back to 1940. 

September Rankings in Manitoba, According to Mean Temperature
Morden	18.2°C	Warmest	Old record 17.4°C in 2009
Emerson	18.1°C	Warmest	Old record 17.7°C in 2009
Portage la Prairie	17.8°C	2nd warmest	Record 18.0°C in 2009
Carman	17.6°C	Warmest	Old record 17.3°C in 2009
Dauphin	17.2°C	Warmest	Old record 16.7°C in 2009
Sprague	17.0°C	Warmest	Old record 16.3°C in 2009
Pilot Mound	16.8°C	Warmest	Old record 16.7°C in 2009
Brandon	16.7°C	2nd warmest	Record 16.8°C in 2009

Abnormally hot weather visited southern Manitoba in the last week of the month. On the 25th, 26th and 29th, temperatures exceeded 30°C in much of southern Manitoba. Some areas broke records, while Winnipeg just missed out on records. 

On the 25th, Swan River was the hotspot at 31.5°C, followed by Birch River 30.9°C, Brandon 30.6°C, Dauphin 30.5°C, Starbuck 30.3°C and Carman 30.0°C. Winnipeg Airport reached 28.1°C. 

On the 26th, the hotspot was Lakeland at 32.7°C. Other highs over 30°C included Amaranth with 32.6°C, Portage la Prairie 32.4°C, Deerwood 31.8°C, Neepawa 31.6°C, Brandon 31.2°C, Morden 30.9°C and Gimli 30.1°C. Winnipeg Airport just missed 30°C with a high of 29.9°C, but some private stations in the city did exceed 30°C. North Dakota was even hotter with a record high of 35.6°C in Bismarck, tied with 1963. South Dakota reached as high as 37 to 39°C. Saskatchewan was hotter as well with highs over 33°C. Moose Jaw reached 35.0°C, its latest occurrence of 35°C on record, beating September 22, 1938. 

September 25 satellite image showing large dome of high pressure over western North America (College of Dupage)

On the 29th, Waskada was the hotspot at 33.7°C. Dauphin reached 33.3°C, Deloraine 32.8°C, Melita 32.5°C, Souris 32.1°C, Brandon 31.7°C and Cypress River 31.2°C. Winnipeg Airport reached 28.2°C. Temperatures over 33°C are rare that late in the season in Manitoba, having occurred officially only on October 1, 1992, and September 30, 1989. Portage la Prairie came close on October 5, 2011, with 32.8°C. A high of 33.9°C on October 6, 1909, at Almasippi is considered suspicious and unreliable. 

It was again even hotter in Saskatchewan where temperatures reached as high as 34°C. Coronach reached 34.5°C, Moose Jaw 33.0°C and Regina 32.6°C. In North Dakota, Bismarck reached 36.1°C, eclipsing its daily record of 32.2°C in 2007. Minot reached 36.1°C as well, eclipsing its 2007 daily record of 31.1°C. The hottest temperatures were 37.2°C in southwestern North Dakota. 

Strong winds during the night into early morning on the 30th kept temperatures extremely warm. Winnipeg did not drop below 20°C until 8 am. In Dauphin, it was still 27°C at midnight, while the Deloraine area was still 25-26°C. These were due to southerly winds causing a downslope effect off the Riding and Turtle Mountains. By 3 am, it was still 23-25°C in much of southern Manitoba. At 5 am, it was still 22-23°C in the Red River Valley. These were extremely high values, potentially record breaking, for that time of night that late in the season. 

Warm October without a Flake of Snow

The warm, dry and cheerfully sunny weather continued in October. The average daily high temperature of 14.6°C was the 10th warmest on record, and 4.2 degrees above normal. Nights were not quite as warm, resulting in a tie for 19th warmest October overall with a mean temperature of 7.9°C, 2.8 degrees above normal. 

Not a single flake of snow was reported to have fallen in the city in October. The last time this was observed at Winnipeg Airport in October was in 2011. However, there hasn’t been an October without a single flake of snow somewhere in the city since at least the 1960s. 

The warmest weather of the month occurred from the 8th to 10th when temperatures reached well into the twenties across southern Manitoba. The warmest day, the 9th, reached as high as 29.1°C in Ninette, 28.9°C in Baldur, 28.7°C in Waskada, 28.3°C in McCreary, 27.7°C in Melita, 27.1°C in Brandon, 26.3°C in Dauphin and 22.5°C at Winnipeg Airport. Only McCreary broke a daily record, breaking its record of 27.3°C in 2003. Temperatures over 30°C were observed in parts of western North Dakota, including 30.6°C in Bismarck. On the 10th, the southern Red River Valley remained hot with temperatures reaching 28.0°C in Emerson, 27.3°C in Gretna and 26.4°C in Altona. 

Abnormally warm weather returned on the 20th and 21st. The warmest day was the 21st with temperatures reaching well into the twenties again. Waskada and Pierson were the hotspots, reaching 26.0°C. Brandon reached 25.5°C, Glenboro 25.1°C, Steinbach 23.3°C and Winnipeg Airport 21.7°C. Many trees still had their fall foliage in Winnipeg. 

South of the border, Fargo had its 7th warmest October with a mean temperature of 11.3°C. 

Some trees were still green on October 28

Warm November with a Delayed Onset of Winter

The warm weather continued into the first half of November, delaying the onset of winter. Temperatures were not amazingly warm, but consistently above normal. Nighttime lows were particularly above normal, with the Winnipeg Airport not recording its first -10°C of the season until November 25, the 5th latest on record since 1872 and the latest since 2001. The latest was on December 2 in 1899. 

November 2 at St Vital Park

The warmest day of the month was the 9th. Winnipeg Airport reached 12.7°C, cooler than other areas because of a persistent southerly wind. The warmest temperatures were mostly in south-central Manitoba, especially where downslope westerly winds enhanced temperatures, with highs over 15°C. Baldur was the hotspot reaching 17.7°C. Portage la Prairie reached 17.2°C, Waskada 16.8°C, Carman 16.5°C, Elm Creek 16.1°C, Melita 16.0°C, Woodlands 15.5°C, Pinawa 15.2°C and Morden 15.1°C. No records were broken since this was on the same date as the extreme warm spell in 2016 that saw temperatures reaching 20°C in the western Red River Valley. On the 8th, temperatures also reached 16°C in Duck Mountain, but generally 8 to 12°C across southern Manitoba. 

Finally, the first snowflakes of the season fell in parts of the city early in the morning on November 11. A trace of snow was observed in most of the city, but not at the Airport. This was tied with 1963 for 2nd latest first snowflakes of the season since 1872. There were 205 consecutive without a single flake of snowfall in Winnipeg, the longest such period on record. Because the Airport did not record its first snowflakes until November 13, it had 207 consecutive days without a snowflake. 

Longest Periods Without a Single Flake of Snowfall in Winnipeg Since 1872
2024	205 days (207 at Airport)
1998	201 days
1994	197 days
1884	194 days
1903, 1914	192 days
1879	190 days

The first measurable snowfall of the season (0.2 cm or more) did not occur until November 22, tied with 2016 for latest on record since 1872. 

Latest First Measurable Snowfall (0.2 cm+) of Fall in Winnipeg Since 1872
2016, 2024	November 22
1963	November 21
1953	November 20
1931	November 19
1880, 2015	November 18
1890	November 17

 1 - Strong El Nino Results in 2nd Warmest Winter Since 1872

The strong El Niño winter of 2023-2024 was one of Manitoba’s tamest winters ever recorded. In the Winnipeg area, it was one of only a few winters in recorded history to not have a ‘‘permanent’’ snow cover due to frequent melting conditions and insignificant snowfalls. It was a winter where activities such as skating, snowmobiling and skiing, were very difficult or even impossible. The river skating trail in Winnipeg had its shortest season on record since 1990, being open for only nine full days (Jan 25-30 and Feb 13-17). Previously, the shortest season was 33 days in 2017 (ignoring 2020 when it didn’t open at all due to unstable ice). Its length was also the shortest, at only 600 metres. It was a combination of mild weather and rising river levels in early January after record rainfall south of the border in December that caused such a short season. In fact, the Red River rose by 5 feet in the first week of January at Emerson. 

 The December to February period was the second warmest in Winnipeg since 1872 with a mean temperature of -8.1°C, six degrees above normal. Only the winter of 1877-1878 was warmer.

Warmest Winters (Dec-Feb) by Mean Temperature Since 1872 in Winnipeg
1877/1878	-7.2°C
2023/2024	-8.1°C
1997/1998	-8.2°C
1986/1987	-9.5°C
2011/2012	-9.7°C

The average daily high temperature from December to February was -4.0°C, also the second warmest. 26 days exceeded the freezing mark, tied 3rd most since 1872 with 1923/1924. There was almost a total lack of cold weather. Only two brief periods of cold weather occurred in mid January and late February (see daily mean temperature departures graph). Only 14 days dipped below -20°C from December to February, tied with 1877/1878 for fewest on record. 

Fewest days below -20°C from December to February Since 1872 in Winnipeg
1877/1878 2023/2024	14 days
1986/1987	16 days
1997/1998	17 days
1930/1931	20 days
2011/2012	23 days

January 25 to February 8 Record Warmth and Dreary Weather

A period of extremely mild and dreary weather occurred from about January 25 to February 8 when nine daily high minimum temperatures records were broken. This was tied with March 2012 for the most in a warm spell since 1872. There were six consecutive records from February 2 to 7, also a record. Twelve consecutive days exceeded the freezing mark, and nine consecutive days did not even dip below -5°C

Water bodies became slush ponds in early February (Whiteshell Cottagers Association Facebook)

The period was also very cloudy with periods of drizzle, freezing drizzle and fog. Seven days had fog with visibility of 800 metres or less at the Airport. Meanwhile, ten days had either drizzle, rain or freezing drizzle from January 24 to February 8. This was a very extended period of such weather, more typical of coastal cities such as Vancouver, Halifax or St John’s. In fact, nine daily dewpoint records were broken, showing how unusually moist the air mass was for that time of year. This was at least partly enhanced by the melting snow which added moisture to the air which was then trapped near the surface by an inversion aloft. 

Almost all the snow on the ground melted during the warm spell, something that is extremely rare to see in early February around Winnipeg. The 10 to 20 cm of snow that was on the ground in late January melted down to just traces of snow in the first week of February. For many Winnipeggers, it was probably the first time they’d ever seen so much grass in early February. Based on the snow measurements from Weatherlogics, every day from February 4 to 20 had the lowest snow cover recorded in the city in at least 70 years (data are spotty before the 1950s), averaging 1 to 3 cm on the ground. There was so little snow that the Shooters Family Golf Centre opened its driving range in late January. Outdoor skating rinks across southern Manitoba shut down due to thin and sloppy ice. All City of Winnipeg outdoor rinks closed as of February 2. In Minneapolis, ticks already began emerging in early February. Elsewhere in Manitoba, some First Nations in northern Manitoba declared states of emergency due to undriveable winter roads. 

January 30-31 Extreme Warmth, as High as 15°C Around Duck Mountain

While Winnipeg was mostly trapped in cooler, moister and cloudier weather during the period, areas to the west had some much warmer and sunnier days when favourable downsloping winds occurred. On January 30, while Winnipeg stubbornly stayed between 1 and 3°C, temperatures reached 6 to 9°C in the western Red River Valley including in Portage la Prairie, Carman and Morden. This warmth reached as close as Elm Creek. McCreary reached a remarkable 14.2°C with a gusty WNW wind, just shy of the provincial January record of 14.5°C on January 7, 2003, which occurred at the same station. However, Ethelbert Mb Ag station reached 15.1°C and Garland Mb Fire station 15.6°C, which would be new provincial records for January.

Alberta and Saskatchewan were remarkably mild on the 30th as well. Saskatchewan broke its monthly record with a high of 21.1°C at Maple Creek, beating the old record of 19°C. The national January record is 22.2°C in Niagara Falls in 1950. Regina reached double digits for only the second time on record in January, with some backyard stations reaching 12°C. Edmonton reached 12.4°C, its 3rd warmest January day on record. Snow melted quite rapidly, with fields in the city becoming mostly bare. In North Dakota, temperatures reached 16°C in southwestern portions of the state.

Winnipeg was at its warmest on the 31st when The Forks reached 7.8°C. Some backyard stations even registered as high as 9°C. The Airport failed to exceed its record high with a high of only 4.7°C. This was partially a result of the light NW wind off the frozen Lake Manitoba. Temperatures of 6 to 8°C were recorded all around the city, including in the Interlake, east and south of the city. The warmest temperatures were again along the escarpment, from the east side of the Duck Mountains southward to the US border. The hot spot was McCreary at 12.1°C. Morden reached 11.3°C, its 3rd warmest January day since 1905. In North Dakota, temperatures reached as high as 18°C in extreme southwestern parts of the state. 

February 7-8 Colorado Low Drops Unusual Amounts of Rain

A Colorado Low affecting southern Manitoba on February 7 and 8 brought unusually steady rain, particularly in the Red River Valley and southeastern Manitoba. A general 2 to 5 mm fell in the Red River Valley, while extreme southeastern Manitoba recorded 5 to 15 mm. Southwestern Manitoba saw more snow than rain. Thousands of customers lost power due to icy power lines. As temperatures fell below freezing behind the system, roads became extremely icy in the Red River Valley and southeastern Manitoba as well. 

Emerson ECCC webcam Feb 8 showing water on fields from rain

Warmest First Two Weeks of February on Record

Overall, the first two weeks of February were easily the warmest on record in Winnipeg since 1872. The mean temperature was -2.7°C, flying by the previous record of -5.9°C in 1935. This was almost thirteen degrees above normal for the period!

Tied 3rd warmest February

Winnipeggers finally enjoyed a very mild February after experiencing numerous cold ones in recent years. Winnipeg Airport had a mean temperature of -6.4°C, almost eight degrees above normal, tied with 1987 for 3rd warmest since 1872. It was the warmest since 1998. In the first 26 days of the month, only two days dipped below -15°C. Eleven days exceeded the freezing mark, the 7th most in February. Fourteen days dipped below -10°C in February, tied 3rd fewest since 1872.

 

The warmest day was the 24th when a record high of 6.1°C was achieved at the Airport, beating 5.4°C in 1998. The Forks reached 6.9°C. The warmest temperatures were over snow-free and forested areas in south-central Manitoba, the Whiteshell and northern Interlake. Gretna reached 9.4°C, Lake St George 9.3°C, Emerson 8.5°C, Hadashville 8.5°C, McCreary 8.3°C, Carman 7.8°C, Gimli 7.2°C, and Portage la Prairie 7.0°C. 

South-central Manitoba spent much of the month with bare ground or just a trace of snow cover. It wasn’t until the 26th that a snowstorm finally covered southern Manitoba with snow again. This clipper system brought around 10 cm of snow in Winnipeg. South of system, temperatures reached as high as 17°C in southern North Dakota. Even the Fargo area reached 15°C. These temperatures did not last long as the clipper brought sweeping blizzard conditions across eastern North Dakota the following day. 

Satellite image Feb 25 showing lack of snow cover (snow in green) (College of Dupage)

Winnipeg Largely Avoided Western Cold Outbreak in Mid January

Despite the winter being very warm overall across western Canada, a notably exceptional cold spell still occurred in mid January. The outbreak was centered from BC to Saskatchewan, largely bypassing Winnipeg which only dipped to a minimum of -30.0°C. This was the coldest temperature of the winter, the 3rd highest winter minimum on record since 1872.  Only two winters ever avoided -30°C: 1930/1931 and 2011/2012. The winter of 2015/2016 was the only other one to have just one day of -30°C. 

The cold snap was brutal out west with multiple days below -40°C in Alberta and Saskatchewan. It was one of the worst cold snaps in the region in decades. Edmonton Airport reached -46.6°C and dipped below -40°C five days in a row. Even Calgary Airport dipped to -36.8°C. Most of the lowest values in Alberta were around -48°C. Keg River in northern Alberta dipped to -51.5°C on the 14th, the coldest in Alberta since at least 2004. The station reached 14.4°C later in the month, resulting in a temperature amplitude of 65.9°C for the month, one of the highest ever recorded in Canada. Maple Creek, SK, reached -42.6°C in the cold snap. This, combined with a high of 21.1°C on the 30th, gave a remarkable temperature amplitude of 63.7°C for the month. An emergency alert was issued in Alberta to cut down on electricity usage as the province almost ran out of electric storage capacity during the cold snap. Electricity from Manitoba, Montana and BC were imported to avoid rolling blackouts. In BC, the cold snap killed fruit tree buds which devastated the fruit and wine industries with losses over 90%.  

Mild Weather in Mid March Melts Away Most of the Snow

March overall was nothing to write home about, finishing near normal temperature-wise. However, unusually warm weather did come briefly in mid March. On March 11, Winnipeg Airport reached 10.1°C, the first double digits of the year, tied 7th earliest on record since 1872. Most of the snow that had fallen in late February and early March had melted away by March 15th or 16th in Winnipeg with only traces remaining. This was almost two weeks earlier than normal. However, cold weather in the second half of March prevented the full removal of the snow down to a true 0 cm until the first week of April, around normal. 

The warm spell did bring at least four consecutive days with a double-digit temperature somewhere in southern Manitoba, from the 10th to 13th. On the 10th, McCreary reached 10.7°C. On the 11th, Hadashville (Mb Fire) reached 17.8°C. On the 12th, Cache Lake (in the Duck Mountains – Mb Fire station) reached 13.6°C. On the 13th, Rosenburg Forest (eastern Manitoba – Mb Fire station) reached 11.4°C. 

Satellite image March 18 showing remaining snow cover in green (College of Dupage)

Acknowledgement of Sources

This summary document contains information from a variety of sources, including CBC, ECCC, The Forks, Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Fire, Twitter (X), College of Dupage, Daryl Ritchison (NDAWN), the National Weather Service (US), Brian Brettschneider, NDDOT, Cocorahs, NZP Chasers, City of Saskatoon, City of Winnipeg Water and Waste Department, Weather Underground, Steinbach Online, Manitoba Hydro, Pembina Valley Online, the Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP).