Strong Severe Thunderstorm Risk for Parts of Saskatchewan & Manitoba on Friday

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The Victoria Day long weekend is poised to start on a stormy note in parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba due to a potential severe thunderstorm risk on Friday.

Warm air is expected to surge into Southeastern Saskatchewan and Southwestern Manitoba during the day on Friday, with temperatures soaring into the mid to upper 20s. This heat will act as the perfect catalyst for thunderstorm activity, which is likely to begin as early as Friday afternoon.

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The initial storm activity is expected to start in Southeastern Saskatchewan along the border with Manitoba around 1 to 3 PM. Additional storm development may occur south of the border over North Dakota before tracking into Saskatchewan and Southwestern Manitoba by late afternoon.

Further north, some isolated storms may also develop around Melville and Kamsack before moving into the Roblin and Dauphin areas in Manitoba by late afternoon or early evening.

There are indications that the environment in this area will be quite favourable for the development of supercells that could produce extremely large hail, up to the size of golf balls or larger.

Damaging wind gusts are also a possibility, although the wind threat seems to be less of a concern compared to the hail risk. One or two tornadoes are also possible as these storms track towards the Interlake region.

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The storms to the southwest are expected to merge with those isolated storms around the Dauphin region and form one main line stretching from Ashern to Winkler by early evening. By this point, the complex of storms will mostly pose a marginal to slight severe wind and hail risk. The tornado threat will be lower compared to earlier in the day, but a brief spin-up cannot be completely ruled out.

The storm system will continue to move east towards the Ontario border, reaching Winnipeg between 9 and 11 PM and crossing over into Ontario just after midnight.

For Winnipeg, it's uncertain how strong the storm will be by the time it reaches the city since it will occur well after sunset and the line of storms will be gradually weakening. The most probable storm threats include hail up to the size of quarters, wind gusts up to 90 km/h, and heavy rain along with lots of lightning.

Mixture of Clear and Overcast Skies Expected for Monday's Eclipse in Saskatchewan

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We’re now in the last few days before the partial solar eclipse that will cross the skies above Saskatchewan on Monday and we’re now getting a clearer idea of the weather conditions that we can expect for that time period.

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Safety Measures

In order to safely enjoy the eclipse, it's crucial to use ISO 12312-2 certified solar glasses. Directly looking the sun, even during an eclipse, can cause serious, and possibly permanent, damage to your eyes. You can only view the eclipse without the glasses during the few minutes of totality. Solar glasses are designed to block harmful solar radiation and protect your eyes while allowing you to safely witness the event.

Never use makeshift viewing solutions like sunglasses or homemade filters, as they do not offer adequate protection against the sun's rays. Also, remember that the same rules apply to taking pictures with your phone. The sun can damage your camera’s sensors if you don’t have the proper solar filter (such as the same solar glasses for your eyes).

Your Guide to the Eclipse:

The forecast for Monday looks optimistic for some and less than ideal for others across Saskatchewan. There will be a significant area of overcast skies that cuts through Southern Saskatchewan and an additional area in Southeast Saskatchewan that will make it difficult for those that wish to catch a glimpse of the eclipse in the afternoon. Luckily for those to the west, early morning cloud cover will be replaced by clear or mostly clear skies just in time for the start of the event.

Significant Blizzard Takes Aim at Saskatchewan Starting Saturday With Up 40cm of Snow Possible

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As Saskatchewan welcomes the start of Meteorological Spring, it braces for a significant winter storm, promising a dramatic shift in weather conditions this weekend. Starting Saturday morning, the system will sweep across Southern Alberta and into Saskatchewan, intensifying as it spreads to Southern Manitoba by the afternoon.

This significant storm is forecasted to blanket Southern Saskatchewan with 20-30cm of snow by Monday night, with isolated areas potentially approaching 30-40cm.

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The storm's journey through Saskatchewan will begin on Saturday afternoon as snow advances from the south. Unlike in Alberta, where moderate to heavy snow is expected to fall primarily on Saturday afternoon and evening, Saskatchewan will face a broader and more intense snowfall.

Much of the central portion of the province is predicted to receive 20-30cm of snow, but two key areas could see accumulations exceeding 30cm. One such area surrounds Saskatoon, extending to North Battleford and Watrous, while another lies along the Manitoba border in the southwest, including Yorkton and Moosomin.

Lasting 6-12 hours and coupled with wind gusts reaching up to 80 km/h, this heavy snowfall may lead to blizzard conditions across vast swaths of the province from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday.

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As the storm intensifies overnight and continues its eastward trajectory, the threat of severe weather conditions heightens. Saskatchewan residents should prepare for significant snowfall and potential blizzard conditions, which could disrupt travel and outdoor activities.

The combination of heavy snow and strong winds will likely result in reduced visibility and challenging driving conditions across the affected regions.

Major Winter Storm to Dump Up to 40cm of Snow on the Prairies for the First Weekend of March

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Just as we welcome the start of Meteorological Spring, the Prairies are bracing for a significant winter storm. The storm is set to begin on Saturday morning in Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, spreading to Southern Manitoba by the afternoon. It will intensify overnight, extending northward and eastward.

By Monday night, Southern Saskatchewan and Manitoba will have received a widespread 20-30cm of snow, with isolated areas seeing 30-40cm. Southeast Manitoba will experience mixed precipitation and rain due to a warm front associated with the storm, which will limit snowfall totals there.

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Alberta

In Alberta, light snow will start moving through Southern Alberta on Saturday morning, reaching the Edmonton area by early afternoon. The afternoon will bring moderate to heavy snow east of a line from Camrose through Drumheller to Medicine Hat, extending to the Saskatchewan border. This area is expected to receive 15-25cm of snow, primarily on Saturday afternoon and evening.

The snow will taper off from west to east by Sunday afternoon, though light flurries could persist for the next 24 hours. Wind gusts up to 50km/h on Saturday may cause blowing snow and reduced visibility.

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan will experience a similar situation, with snow arriving from the south in the afternoon. However, the intensification and heavier snowfall will affect a larger portion of the province, resulting in 20-30cm of snow across its entire width. Two significant areas are expected to receive over 30cm of snow: one centred around Saskatoon, extending to North Battleford and Watrous, and another along the Manitoba border in the southwest, including Yorkton and Moosomin. Heavy snowfall, lasting 6-12 hours and accompanied by wind gusts up to 60km/h, could lead to blizzard conditions from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday.

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manitoba

In Manitoba, the forecast is more complex. Light snow will start from the south on Saturday afternoon, continuing until early Sunday morning. Then, heavier, wet snow from the storm's center will cross the Saskatchewan border. Like in Saskatchewan, extensive areas of Manitoba will see 20-30cm of snow.

The secondary pocket of over 30cm of snow from Saskatchewan will extend into Manitoba, affecting places like Russel, Dauphin, Neepawa, Virden, and the West Interlake Region. Blizzard conditions, with wind gusts up to 70km/h, are a concern across Manitoba on Sunday. Heavy snow will persist until Monday morning and dissipate by Monday evening.

Southeast Manitoba, particularly the Eastman Region, the Red River Valley, and Winnipeg will face different conditions due to the storm's warm front, bringing in warmer air and a mix of ice pellets, freezing rain, and rain on Sunday afternoon. While overall snow accumulations will be lower here, conditions will remain messy. As the storm moves northeastward, snow will briefly return late Sunday into overnight.

The storm's track as it approaches Manitoba could still shift, potentially altering the forecast, especially for Southeastern Manitoba. An updated map may be issued to reflect any changes. A major shift in the storm's path could affect where the warm air intrusion occurs, significantly impacting the type of precipitation experienced in Southeastern Manitoba.

Fast-Moving Alberta Clipper Bringing a Widespread 10-20cm of Snow Across the Prairies Sunday and Monday

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FORECAST UPDATE - FEB. 25 @ 9:30 AM

The Prairies will finish the weekend with some fresh snow, courtesy of a fast-moving Clipper that will begin to move into Alberta overnight tonight. The snow will spread eastward throughout Sunday and most of Monday before making its way into Northern Ontario.

A large swath of Alberta can expect 10-20cm of snow by Monday afternoon with Edmonton and areas to the west being hit the hardest. This region will see snowfall totals approaching 20cm and possibly exceeding that amount locally. Most of this accumulation will occur in the late evening and overnight Sunday before starting to taper off Monday morning. Around Edmonton, the snow is expected to begin in the mid-afternoon and continue until mid- to late-morning on Monday.

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The snow will cross into Saskatchewan Sunday evening and will spread across Central and Southern portions of the province through the overnight and early morning hours Monday. The heaviest snow will be concentrated to a line across Central Saskatchewan with a drop in snowfall accumulations moving northward and southward. Locations from Lloydminster, though Saskatoon to the Manitoba border can expect 10-15cm of snow throughout the day on Monday.

Things don’t start in Manitoba until early Monday and with the heaviest snow expected for Southern Manitoba as the Clipper continues its east-southeastward trajectory. The swath of 10-15cm will continue into the province from Saskatchewan but will only reach as far as across the Interlake Region because the back half of the storm starts to fall apart, and the snow begins to dissipate through Monday afternoon. Winnipeg, in particular, can expect the snow to be fairly short-lived and last less than 12 hours beginning after midnight Monday and continuing until mid-morning, resulting in less than 10cm of snow.

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Temperatures ahead of the snowfall will be quite mild, with most of the Prairies reaching highs approaching or surpassing 0°, but they will rapidly plummet down to the negative double digits with the passage of the Clipper. Some areas could even see temperatures as low as -30° Tuesday night. This short blast of cold is expected to last for a couple of days before we return to more seasonal temperatures mid-week.