Major Winter Storm to Welcome the Work Week in Manitoba

     Well, it looks like southern Manitoba will be hit by yet another major snow storm. A vigorous Alberta Clipper is already bringing in a band of light snow through southwestern portions of the province early this evening including in Brandon. Snowfall will continue to move eastward and intensify tonight.
     After looking at the models for a couple hours late this afternoon, I have prepared my own prediction for snowfall amounts for some of the most major cities in southern Manitoba with this system:

Predicted total snowfall amounts
Dauphin	5-10 cm
Brandon	15-20 cm
Portage la Prairie	15-20 cm
Morden	20-25 cm
Winnipeg	10-15 cm
Steinbach	10-15 cm

     Keep in mind these are the totals that I am personally predicting to fall throughout the entire event (so from now to Tuesday afternoon). And by the way, for the first time I invite everyone to post their own predictions via a comment under this post. I am very interested in seeing what others think as this is generally a fairly complicated and moisture-laden system. The Red River Valley's forecast, including Winnipeg's, is fairly complex with this system as we will be right on the edge between the lowest and highest amounts.

     As for the timeline, as I mentioned snowfall has already begun in southwestern and western Manitoba, and this snowfall will continue to intensify tonight. Here in the Red River Valley, light snow is set to begin late evening or early overnight and really begin to intensify mid or late overnight. Periods of snow will continue throughout the entire day Monday and not taper off until Monday night at the earliest. Areas closer to the US and Ontario borders in southeastern Manitoba may have to wait until Tuesday morning for the snowfall to taper off. Of course, this is assuming the more easterly track of the system is correct. If the system is further west than expected, snowfall amounts will be lower in the RRV and timing will be only a tad different.

     Luckily, temperatures and winds are not expected to be a massive issue such as was the case during the blizzard we had in February. Temperatures are expected to remain steady in the mid minus single digits in the Winnipeg area throughout Monday and only drop to around -10°C or so Tuesday morning. Winds overnight tonight in Winnipeg will be from the east around 20 km/h with gusts over 30 km/h at times. By tomorrow morning winds will strengthen to about 30 km/h and gusts up to 50 km/h at times, still from the east. These winds will continue in the afternoon before tapering off ever so slightly in the evening. They really wont calm down until Tuesday morning. As a result of these moderate winds, blowing snow will be possible in open areas at times, but not enough for blizzard conditions. Drifting snow will be an obvious hazard. The strongest winds in southern Manitoba are expected in southwestern Manitoba with north/northeast winds of 40 gusting to 60 km/h Monday. Unforunately, this is where the heaviest snow is expected so travel will certainly not be advised. Areas along the US border in southeastern Manitoba are expecting winds from the southeast at around 40 km/h tomorrow morning, weakening slightly in the afternoon.

     In general, heaviest snowfall accumulations are expected along and south of the Trans-Canada and west of highway 75 with 15-25 cm as a generalisation, but there could be localized higher amounts. I do have to mention one thing however. Due to the easterly or northeasterly winds, upsloping up the Riding mountains and the escarpment will give these areas slightly enhanced amounts.