Deep freeze forecast for next week

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This article was published 06/01/2024 (988 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The winter Manitobans are more accustomed to is here and it is expected get even colder by Wednesday. Temperatures are set to dip to more average temperatures in the middle of next week, with daytime highs around -16 C and nighttime lows dipping as low as -34 C by next Friday.

Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said Brandon has been enjoying a warmer winter thanks to El Niño-like conditions over the Pacific Ocean, which has brought warmer, but drier weather to the Westman region. But he said colder air is starting to reach Brandon.

“This time of year in Brandon our daytime highs tend to be about -12. And the overnight lows about -22. So, we’re sort of floating about near those values (until) mid-week,” Proctor said. “We really see that colder air having much more of an impact moving forward after that time. El Niño is still a dominant player over the atmosphere, sort of driving circulations over Western Canada.”

Time to get out the block heater cord. Overnight lows are predicted to dip to -29 C for Wednesday and Thursday nights. Friday night will be the coldest at a predicted -34 C and next Saturday morning, bundle up, because it will only warm to -25 C for a daytime high.

Kids hoping for a big dump of snow will be disappointed. Proctor said it will be too cold to see anything more than a little sprinkle of precipitation.

“There’s going to be heavier snow south of us, and southwest of us. One of the things that’s happening is we’re cooling off so much, the storm tracks sort of sliding southward (of Brandon). So areas down in the U.S. are more likely to see significant accumulations,” Proctor said.

Colder temperatures don’t necessarily mean better road or river ice conditions. Brandon Fire and Emergency Services want to remind residents to be cautious around the Assiniboine River.

“With winter appearing to finally be here, the ice may look stable and thick enough for us to go on,” said Brent Kyle, public education officer with Brandon Fire and Emergency Services. “However, whenever you’re dealing with ice, you should always maintain caution, because we do not always know that ice is safe all the time, especially on the river. With the Assiniboine there’s currents and that could determine how thick ice is in certain locations.”

Kyle said generally you want the river to be a solid foot of ice, but with the milder temperatures so far, it can be hard to tell how frozen the Assiniboine River is.

“One good thing about having the parks and rec department is they put the winter rink out there, the skating oval, so that’s excellent because it gets people off the river,” Kyle said. Snowmobilers do use the river, but I’m sure that they’re trying to maintain safety and know the risks associated with going on the river — especially having a mild winter so far and with spring too you should always assume that there’s risks.”

He said the BFES hasn’t had any emergencies on the river so far this winter and would like to keep it that way.

“I think in the past, they maybe had to rescue the odd animal that could be a dog. So whenever anyone’s going on the ice, make sure that if you have a pet, that they’re on a leash at all times. Avoid going on the ice at night. Never go on the ice alone, too. Always go with a friend just in case you do get into trouble,” Kyle said.

High winter winds can also contribute to black ice on the highway. Kyle said to take your time on the roads, and slow down.

“Start slowing down to a slower speed well before the stop sign because especially around intersections or stop signs, the roads tend to be slippery. That’s where your vehicle can slide and possibly hit another car,” he said. “The highway may look clear, but it could be that wind has generated some black ice. And obviously with heavy amounts of snowfall it can make travelling on our roads a little difficult.”

» khenderson@brandonsun.com