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Your Weekend Weather

By: Doug Speirs

Posted: 01/12/2013 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

Whew, Winnipeg! Wasn't that one heck of a storm?

Well, the truth is I can't say for sure, because I'm writing this Friday morning, but it was sure shaping up to be a nasty one.

According to my buddy Dale Marciski from Environment Canada, this morning we should all be looking at about 10 to 20 centimetres of snow dumped on our driveways thanks to a Colorado low that pushed a blizzard into the province Friday.

Dale said high winds and blowing snow were expected to create poor visibility, and freezing drizzle from Thursday and Friday morning could turn highways into skating rinks.

By this afternoon, however, things will be looking a lot brighter as the huge weather system crawls over into northwestern Ontario.

"There may still be some blizzard conditions around in the morning, especially in the Red River Valley in the open areas because it's still going to be windy in the morning and still a little bit of snow falling," Dale explained Friday.

"All the snow we get on Friday will be there to blow around during the day," he said. "We'll be on the backside of it Saturday but we'll still have the winds in the morning -- 40 km/h gusting to 60 km/h."

On the upside, Dale noted that sneaking in behind the Colorado low is an Arctic ridge of high pressure. "This means clearing skies and it also means the winds will drop in the afternoon and evening," he told me.

"The blizzard conditions will end Saturday afternoon for most of southern Manitoba. That's when we'll get out and do most of our shovelling. You shouldn't expect to do a whole lot of shovelling early Saturday because of continuing blizzard conditions in the morning. There will still be blowing snow and poor visibility for part of the morning."

It's also going to be a little colder than usual. For instance, look for a high of -19 C today, compared to the normal high of -13 C at this time of year. On Sunday, we're talking sunshine and a high of -21 C. The low could hit -30 C early Sunday.

Take heart, however, because on Tuesday, a fast-moving trough of low pressure is forecast to bring us a bizzare and balmy high of 1 C. "Don't get too excited because it's not going to last very long," Dale warns.

As for things to do this weekend, I'm going to suggest you either shovel your driveway or hire some random teenagers to do it for you.

While the blizzard should be long gone this afternoon, I still suggest you find some fun indoor activities. For guys of my gender, I strongly recommend you take your significant other to the annual Kitchen, Bath & Renovation Show today and Sunday at the convention centre. We're talking products and services from around the country and some of your favorite design experts from TV. It's a key to a happy marriage.

Since you're already at the convention centre, you might as well purify your mind, body and soul at the 19th annual Winnipeg Wellness Expo, where' they'll have pretty much everything to make you feel one with the universe in 2013.

While you're there, I'd appreciate it if you could ask them what to do for a sore back and frozen toes. Because I'm pretty sure I can hear the driveway calling my name.

doug.speirs@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 12, 2013 A2

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