The polar vortex will keep Winnipeg in its grip with dangerously cold temperatures persisting this weekend.

Below-seasonal temperatures will continue this weekend as the polar vortex keeps dangerously cold Arctic air locked over the region. Daytime highs will stay in the mid- to lower minus twenties over the next few days with overnight lows dipping into the minus thirties.

Winds will be light in Winnipeg through the weekend, but with temperatures so cold wind chill values of -40 to -50 will be regular across southern Manitoba this weekend.

Skies will stay mainly sunny.

Long Range Outlook

This bitterly cold weather pattern will finally break down through the course of next week. The polar vortex will begin to weaken and push off to the east through the first half of the week. As it then curls back northwards and reforms over the Arctic, milder Pacific air will begin to spill eastwards over the Prairies.

Daytime highs next week will tart off in the -15 to -20 °C range, but will climb to slightly above seasonal values in the -5 to -10 °C range by the end of the week. Overnight lows look to stay in the -20s through Wednesday night, then begin to warm heading towards next weekend.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -19 °C.

The bitterly cold Arctic air that has lead to several tragic deaths across Western Canada will stay entrenched over the region for the rest of the week.

The polar vortex will gradually slump through Manitoba in the second half of the week, sustaining the dangerously cold weather in the region. Daytime highs will fall back into the mid-minus 20s by the end of the work week with overnight lows in the minus 30s. Winds will stay light over the next few days.

Much of the region will see mixed skies with some flurries develop today as temperatures warm and low-level instability develops. Similar to yesterday, the air aloft is so cold that its able to generate cumulus clouds even with surface temperatures in the -20s. The clouds will taper off overnight, and then redevelop on Thursday. With slightly colder temperatures tomorrow, there will be less of a chance for flurries.

Sunny skies return on Friday.

Long Range Outlook

The bitter cold will stay in place for Saturday, but finally some relief will start developing on Sunday. Temperatures will warm back towards -20 °C on Sunday, followed by a gradual trend towards seasonal values through next week.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -20 °C.

There’s no relief in sight for Winnipeg as bitter cold stays entrenched over the region this week.

Dangerously cold conditions will stay this week for the Prairies, including Winnipeg. Temperatures will be dangerous today with a high near -26 combining with westerly winds increasing to around 30 km/h. This will produce wind chill values of -45 to -50 this morning and -40 to -45 this afternoon. Temperatures will drop back towards -30 °C tonight.

Tuesday and Wednesday will offer a semblance of “relief” from the cold; the coldest core of temperatures will shift towards the Rockies and some modified Arctic air will move into Manitoba. It’s not going to be that much of a change though; tonight’s low rising to -29 °C is the start of it and Tuesday and Wednesday will both bring high around -23 °C.

Winds on Tuesday will again hover in the 20–30 km/h range, producing wind chills near -40 early Tuesday morning that climb only to around -35 in the afternoon. Wind chills dip back into the -35 to -40 range on Wednesday night before beginning to ease on Wednesday as the winds let up. The return of “pure” Arctic air will begin on Wednesday night, with lows dropping back below -30 °C.

Long Range Outlook

Bitterly cold temperatures persist through Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. By Sunday, a shift in the upper air pattern will begin to break down the entrenched lobe of the polar vortex over the region. It will start moving off to the east and milder temperatures will begin to move in. Below seasonal temperatures will continue through the first half of next week, but highs should climb into the -15 to -10 °C range with lows eventually rising above -20 °C.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -9 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -20 °C.

Temperatures will plummet in Winnipeg this weekend as bitterly cold Arctic air pushes across the Prairies.

Temperatures are all downhill from here as some of the coldest air on the continent begins moving into Manitoba. Extreme cold will develop over southern Manitoba in the coming days as daytime highs fall from -16 °C today to -26 °C by Sunday. Overnight lows will likewise plummet, dipping into the mid-minus 30s.

Extreme cold warnings from ECCC are a sure bet; widespread wind chills of -40 to -50 will develop over the southern Prairies this weekend. In the far northern Prairies, wind chill values may even drop into the -55 to -60 range by Sunday morning. This will be a brutally cold stretch of weather, bringing the coldest temperatures of the season so far to many parts of the Prairies.

As far as the other elements of the weather go, things will trend sunnier and calmer. Winnipeg will see mixed skies today with a good chance of a few flurries. Skies will gradually clear out tonight and tomorrow, leaving mainly sunny skies for Sunday. Northwest winds will persist in Winnipeg, easing from 30–40 km/h today into the 20–30 km/h range tomorrow. Winds will be light out of the west on Sunday.

Long Range Outlook

These brutally cold temperatures are the result of the Polar Vortex; a lobe has decoupled from the main vortex over the poles and will settle over Manitoba and parts of Northwestern Manitoba. Unfortunately, it means that improvement will be slow to come. The coldest temperatures will be this weekend into early next week, followed by a slight moderation for the rest of the week.

Through next week, temperatures will likely stay 5 to 10 °C below seasonal values with some cloudier conditions possible. A return to near-seasonal conditions will be possible the week after next.

Today’s seasonal daytime high in Winnipeg is -10 °C while the seasonal overnight low is -21 °C.