At long last, winds are settling down over southern Manitoba on Thursday but the break will be brief. Much of the Red River Valley and southwestern Manitoba can expect a mix of sun and cloud with above-seasonal highs in the upper teens. Those aforementioned winds, which have been fast and furious in the region for much of the week, are likely to only reach about 15 km/h. Similar conditions are expected in The Pas and Flin Flon, though temperatures will be a few degrees cooler in the low teens. Meanwhile, the same low pressure system that has dogged Churchill and surrounding communities continues to sprinkle light rain on Thursday, which should ease through the afternoon. Temperatures will rise to around the 5 C mark in those parts. Meanwhile, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) forecasts a strong low pressure system that’s tracking through Alberta into Saskatchewan today is expected to arrive in central and northern Manitoba overnight into Friday. Showers could begin in the early morning hours in the Parkland region, while areas further south, like Brandon and Winnipeg, will stay dry with partly cloudy skies and lows in the mid-single digits. However, strong and gusty northwesterly winds are expected to ramp up again through much of the south tonight. Into Friday, that system looks to spread into the Red River Valley, with a 60 per cent chance of showers in Portage la Prairie, Morden, Winkler and Pinawa in the morning and early afternoon. Current forecasting shows the system skirting Winnipeg as it pushes into the north, leaving us with mainly cloudy skies and a high of 17 C. However, this could change as the system develops. ECCC forecasts the low will spread into northern Manitoba on Friday. As cold air wraps in overnight, showers or rain could turn to flurries. However, relatively warm temperatures through the region are likely to limit snowfall accumulations, but a swath of 20 to 30 mm of rain is likely in northern communities.
