WEATHER ALERT

In pictures: Winnipeg blizzard, Dec. 18, 2025 By: Free Press staff Posted:

A blizzard swept across southern Manitoba on Thursday, closing roads and schools, knocking out power, and cancelling or delaying flights in and out of Winnipeg.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/12/2025 (250 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A blizzard swept across southern Manitoba on Thursday, closing roads and schools, knocking out power, and cancelling or delaying flights in and out of Winnipeg.

All city school divisions cancelled classes, along with the universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba and Red River College Polytechnic. Garbage and recycling pickup was cancelled and transit service was affected, with many buses delayed or stuck.  The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority cancelled most home-care services and Canada Post suspended mail service in Winnipeg.

A city tow truck hauls away a bus after it was in a collision with another bus on Ellice Avenue at Empress Street during morning rush hour in blizzard conditions. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
A city tow truck hauls away a bus after it was in a collision with another bus on Ellice Avenue at Empress Street during morning rush hour in blizzard conditions. (Mike Deal / Free Press)

City crews started clearing main roads around 1 a.m., but called off plowing operations in the morning because blowing snow made it ineffective.

Parts of the Interlake region saw the most snowfall with 17 centimetres, while Winnipeg received between seven to 10 centimetres. Snowfall was lighter than forecast, but high winds caused whiteout conditions and frigid temperatures made getting around difficult.

Rough weather is expected to stick around until Friday, when a second, weaker Alberta clipper will make its way across the Red River Valley. That system is expected to bring five to eight more centimetres of snow and more strong wind gusts.

 

Strong winds kicked up falling snow, making visibility conditions near zero. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Strong winds kicked up falling snow, making visibility conditions near zero. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
A city of Winnipeg tow truck driver checks on two transit drivers who had been stuck for seven hours in snow drifts in Transcona. When the tow truck arrived it determined it couldn't get to them without also getting stuck, so the drivers were waiting for plows. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
A city of Winnipeg tow truck driver checks on two transit drivers who had been stuck for seven hours in snow drifts in Transcona. When the tow truck arrived it determined it couldn't get to them without also getting stuck, so the drivers were waiting for plows. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Kirby Oryniak and his boss work to get his vehicle out of a snow drift on Victoria Ave. east near Redonda in Transcona Thursday morning. He was on his way to work at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t get out of the drift until five hours later. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Kirby Oryniak and his boss work to get his vehicle out of a snow drift on Victoria Ave. east near Redonda in Transcona Thursday morning. He was on his way to work at 7:30 a.m. and didn’t get out of the drift until five hours later. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Pedestrians and vehicles at Portage Avenue and Sherbrook Street. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
Pedestrians and vehicles at Portage Avenue and Sherbrook Street. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
A line of plows works to clear Portage Avenue near downtown. Plows were called off the roads early Thursday after strong winds made their work ineffective. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
A line of plows works to clear Portage Avenue near downtown. Plows were called off the roads early Thursday after strong winds made their work ineffective. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Dogs still need strolls even when the winds blow. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Dogs still need strolls even when the winds blow. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Traffic on Silver Avenue near Ferry Road (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Traffic on Silver Avenue near Ferry Road (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
David Monias blows snow from the sidewalk on Valour Road. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
David Monias blows snow from the sidewalk on Valour Road. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
People help free a car in drifted snow on Inglewood Street. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
People help free a car in drifted snow on Inglewood Street. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Passing drivers help free a van stuck on Dugald Road. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Passing drivers help free a van stuck on Dugald Road. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Luc Lavelle shovels his entire block along Ritchot Street in St. Boniface, including up to the front door. Lavelle says does it every snowfall as part of his winter workout routine. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
Luc Lavelle shovels his entire block along Ritchot Street in St. Boniface, including up to the front door. Lavelle says does it every snowfall as part of his winter workout routine. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press)
A man shovels out his car on Inglewood Street. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
A man shovels out his car on Inglewood Street. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
A cyclist tries to navigate Portage Avenue Thursday morning. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
A cyclist tries to navigate Portage Avenue Thursday morning. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
People clear snow after the storm. (John Woods / The Canadian Press)
People clear snow after the storm. (John Woods / The Canadian Press)
Walking in a winter wonderland. (John Woods / The Canadian Press)
Walking in a winter wonderland. (John Woods / The Canadian Press)
Jesse Hay, 15, takes advantage of the snow day to snowskate down the hill in Omand's Park. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)
Jesse Hay, 15, takes advantage of the snow day to snowskate down the hill in Omand's Park. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press)

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Blizzard blasts southern Manitoba
A city tow truck hauls away a bus after it was in a collision with another bus on Ellice Avenue at Empress Street during morning rush hour in the middle of a blizzard. (Mike Deal / Free Press)
City shelters, outreach workers shift into high gear during bitter storm
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS Pedestrians and vehicles at Portage Avenue and SherbrookThursday morning during the season’s first major blizzard. Outreach agencies have been working to shelter people in the inclement weather.
Neighbours dig paths for fire truck, ambulance stuck in snow
NELSON CAMPSage Creek residents cleared paths for emergency vehicles Thursday.
Symphony of stuck buses
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Kirby Oryniak and his boss work to get his vehicle out of a snow drift on Victoria Avenue East near Redonda Street in Transcona Thursday morning.
Staff, parents irked by late decision to close city schools
RUTH BONNEVILLE / FREE PRESS Drivers that were passing by a van stuck along Dugald Road stopped to help the driver.
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MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS Environment Canada is warning of poor visibility and blowing snow Friday, with another five to eight centimetres predicted for Winnipeg and parts of the province.
Blizzard cripples Winnipeg Transit operations; more than 200 buses stuck in the snow, 71 had to be towed
Ruth Bonneville / Free Press A city of Winnipeg tow truck driver does a wellness check on two transit drivers after they were stuck for hours in snow drifts on Victoria Ave. east near Redonda in Transcona Thursday morning. The transit drivers had had already been in their busses for 7 hours waiting for a tow truck.
Double winter-whammy left sizable cleanup, delays in, outside city
CHRIS KITCHING / FREE PRESS City of Winnipeg crews plowed some residential streets in Charleswood on Monday as the cleanup from last week’s storm continued.
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