Blizzard blows through Westman
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/03/2023 (961 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Brandon residents spent Sunday morning digging themselves out of their homes after a major blizzard blanketed the city with around five to 10 centimetres of snow the previous day, with Environment Canada reporting measurements of 7.6 centimetres.
While this weekend snowstorm began Saturday morning, Environment Canada officially issued a blizzard warning around noon for Brandon and other parts of the Westman region, including the RM of Elton, the RM of Victoria, the RM of Cornwallis, the Municipality of Norfolk Treherne and the Municipality of Oakland-Wawanesa.
This blizzard was characterized by winds up to 70 km/h that resulted in frigid temperatures and extremely poor visibility for motorists, especially for those who ventured outside the city limits.
Brandon resident Murray Starkell clears a sidewalk outside his home on Sunday morning after a major blizzard blanketed the city in snow throughout Saturday. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
The storm resulted in the closure of several highways throughout southern Manitoba, although most of these road closures were relegated to the eastern side of the province.
This potent combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds persisted until Saturday evening, with Environment Canada ending its blizzard warning around 9:30 p.m.
While these snowy conditions cleared up Sunday morning, temperatures continued to drop throughout the day thanks to a persistent wind chill, which could linger into today and result in a risk of frostbite.
Even though Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Stephen Berg couldn’t provide a definitive forecast for the rest of March, he recommended that Westman residents keep their winter boots, gloves and parkas handy for at least the next couple months.
“You can always expect some possibility of a winter storm or something through March and April,” Berg told the Sun on Sunday afternoon. “So it’s hard to say we’re out of winter yet. It’s certainly not going to be for a little while.”
Brandon resident Kerry Fast sweeps some snow off his front steps Sunday morning in the wake of a major blizzard that dumped a significant amount of snow on the city on Saturday. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
In terms of Brandon’s highest recorded snowfall for March 11 — for the period of 1942-2012 — Saturday’s 7.6 centimetres of snow pales in comparison to the 15.2 centimetres Environment Canada recorded the same day in 1953.
However, Berg told the Sun that residents living near Morden, located roughly 110 kilometres south of Portage la Prairie, endured 15 to 25 centimetres of snow on Saturday, which is the highest recorded snowfall anywhere in southern Manitoba over the weekend.
» kdarbyson@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @KyleDarbyson
A member of Livingstone Landscaping clears the Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen parking lot in Brandon on Sunday morning following a significant snowfall over the weekend. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
A motorist drives south on Highway 10, heading toward Brandon, during a major Saturday afternoon snowstorm that severely reduced visibility for those travelling in southern Manitoba outside of major urban areas. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
Motorists travel west on the Trans-Canada Highway through Brandon on Saturday afternoon as a major blizzard engulfs the Westman region. (Kyle Darbyson/The Brandon Sun)
Jordan Lang is all smiles during the U13 Reach Eaves Cleaning Hurricanes’ parent versus player hockey game that took place at the East End Community Centre during Saturday’s blizzard. (Submitted)
Members of the U13 Reach Eaves Cleaning Hurricanes hockey team pose for a group photo during a parent versus player game that took place at the East End Community Centre Saturday afternoon. The group managed to have a good time despite Saturday’s blizzard, which dumped around seven centimetres of snow on Brandon and the surrounding area. (Submitted)