Colleen Bready’s Forecast: Blizzard blows through province

Colleen Bready has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for Dec. 18, 2025.

It was quite the morning in Winnipeg Thursday, with blizzard conditions wreaking havoc on the city.

A powerful Alberta clipper brought a potent winter storm to much of southern Manitoba.

• Hourly and 7-day forecast on our CTVNewsWinnipeg.ca weather hub

Although the worst of the storm has moved on, an orange blizzard warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) continues for the Red River Valley outside of Winnipeg and for parts of south-central Manitoba. Gusting winds may be causing low visibility in blowing snow.

That said, conditions are slowly improving from west to east, allowing many highways to re-open in the southwest. However, several highways remain closed early Thursday afternoon in the southeast, including most into Winnipeg, with the exception of the Trans-Canada Highway west of the city.

The storm also caused widespread power outages, which Manitoba Hydro crews continue working to restore.

The focus of the storm is now over northwestern Ontario, where a yellow winter storm warning continues. Snow and strong winds are expected to ease late Thursday afternoon or evening.

Meanwhile, high pressure has its grip locked on northern Manitoba, where several regions are under a yellow cold warning, including Thompson. Wind chills in the -45 to -50 range are expected to return Thursday night.

Back in the south, as yet another clipper moves out, another one will move in on Friday.

ECCC forecasts 10-15 cm of heavy snow in parts of the southwest, including Brandon.

Snowfall amounts should be closer to 5 cm in Winnipeg, but strong south winds Friday afternoon could mean we’re in for another tough commute in the Red River Valley.