A windy end to the work week on Friday sets the stage for a smorgasbord of conditions over the May long weekend, as seems to be Mother Nature’s tradition. Much of southern Manitoba remains under a yellow wind warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) on Thursday. Those blustery conditions are expected to continue through the province on Friday, with southwesterly winds expected to blow from 60 km/h gusting to 80 km/h in much of the Red River Valley. Those fast and furious winds are also expected to cause more dusty conditions as well. Skies will be fairly cloudy through the south, with a pocket of sunshine here or there. There’s also a slight chance of showers throughout the day, but southern Manitoba will likely stay dry on Friday. Still, temperatures are expected to continue to reach above seasonal highs into the low 20s in Winnipeg and the surrounding Red River Valley, while areas in the southwest, like Brandon and Dauphin, can expect highs in the mid to upper teens. To the north, winter storm and freezing rain warnings issued earlier this week have been lifted as the potent low pressure system that triggered them begins to move to the east. In its wake, rain and snow continue into Friday in the northwest, in areas like The Pas and Norway House, while precipitation will materialize as snow or flurries in cooler areas in the northeast, like Thompson and Churchill. Winds are much less aggressive through the north. Temperatures are cool through northern Manitoba, as well, with highs expected to be well below seasonal. In The Pas and Flin Flon areas, the mercury will peak a few degrees above freezing and areas to the east will stay a few degrees below. Overnight, flurries or light snow continues through northern Manitoba – the last gasps of that low pressure system. Temperatures should only drop a few degrees alongside northerly winds. Partly cloudy skies are expected overnight into Saturday through southern Manitoba, and much of the region has that low chance of showers persisting overnight. Winds begin to ease slightly, with temperatures dipping in Winnipeg and much of the Red River Valley to the 4 C mark. Saturday looks to be southern Manitoba’s calmest day of the long weekend, weather-wise, with a mix of sun and cloud expected and lighter winds. However, it’s a trade off, as the return of the sunshine comes alongside well below seasonal values in the low to mid-teens. By Sunday, temperatures fall even further, with periods of rain expected through much of southern Manitoba.
