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Manitoba Merv predicts an early spring
OAK HAMMOCK MARSH Enlarge Image
Puppet groundhog Manitoba Merv made his annual appearance this morning and — thanks to the cloud cover — did not see his shadow. That forecasts an early spring.
WINNIPEG — Who needs Environment Canada when we have Manitoba Merv.
The puppet groundhog made his annual appearance this morning and — thanks to cloud cover — did not see his shadow.
"That means an early spring," Jacques Bourgeois, spokesman for the Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre, said this morning.
Groundhogs back east poked their noses out this morning under sunny skies and, as a result, brought a prediction of six more weeks of winter.
Bourgeois said Manitoba Merv's accuracy rating has been 100 per cent since the interpretive centre opened in 1993 and introduced the groundhog puppet.
"He's always been right — how can he not be," Bourgeois said. "Six more weeks of winter takes us to mid-March, which would be an early spring for us."
Bourgeois said that the centre uses a puppet because real groundhogs in Manitoba are hibernating at this time of year.
"We wouldn't want to disturb them."
For today, Environment Canada says there will be cloudy skies and a high today of -13 C.
The snow that fell overnight is expected to end by noon.
The snow accumulation has resulted in slippery conditions on the Perimeter Highway and most highways leading into and out of Winnipeg.
The highways department reports drivers should take caution if driving on the Trans-Canada between Headingley and Elie.
Poor conditions are reported on Highway 2 from the Perimeter to Starbuck, and Highway 3 from the Perimeter to Carman, and Highway 12, from the Trans-Canada to the U.S. border.
Slippery conditions are also reported on Highway 75 all the way to the U.S. border and the north and south sections of Highway 59.
Environment Canada says there is a 60 per cent chance of more snow this evening, with a low tonight of -17 C.
For Wednesday, the flurries are expected to continue in the morning. The forecast is for partly cloudy skies and a high of -11 C.
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