Winnipeg’s 215-day snowless streak ends, more expected

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This article was published 20/11/2024 (381 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Close, but it’s no record.

This year marks the fourth-longest period of days without snow in Winnipeg.

Alex Crawford, an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba environment and geography department, said the dusting of snow early Wednesday means the record of 215 days in a row without the white stuff, which was set in 1998, still stands.

“There were snowflakes reported on Nov. 13, but there was no accumulation of snow, and it was 5 C at the time, so if it was falling, it would have melted on impact,” said Crawford. “That would have been 208 days with no snow and would have been the fifth-longest number of days.

“But I saw some snow on the ground (around 6 a.m.) so that’s 215 days and that’s the fourth-longest number of days (in a row) without snow on the ground. It melted and, even with snow predicted, I do not believe this will be the snow that stays all winter.

“We still have a month before Christmas. If you have to bet, you’ll bet that there be snow on Christmas instead of like last year.”

Winnipeg had a white Christmas last year, but barely.

After the third-warmest December in Winnipeg history, enough snow fell overnight on Christmas Eve to just cover the ground.

Even last November was warm. While no high temperature record was hit in Winnipeg on Nov. 21, 2023, the mercury reached 9.6 C, and records did fall in several communities in southern Manitoba.

The average high temperatures at this time of year is -4 C.

Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Natalie Hasell said Winnipeg dodged a snow bullet on Tuesday night.

“We should get snow (Wednesday night) as temperatures will fall below zero and it does not look like we have any warm air aloft,” said Hasell. “So the snow that forms in the clouds should still be snow by the time it makes it to the surface.

“It could give us a couple of centimetres of snow. Originally, we were expecting a little bit more, but since it did not change over to snow (Tuesday night), and isn’t likely to do so until (Wednesday night), there will not nearly be as significant of accumulation.”

Hasell said snow is expected this weekend, starting in southwest Manitoba on Saturday and reaching the Red River Valley later in the day, with the bulk of it falling on Sunday.

“We’re expecting some accumulating snow, but it’s a little far at this time to determine how much,” she said.

“Also, be careful with the temperatures, in the overnight periods and early morning periods. We will start to see a little bit of wind chill being a concern so it is important to remind people to dress properly.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca