Freezing rain, ice pellets and light snow made for a slippery start to the morning commute in Winnipeg and across southeastern Manitoba on Friday. Warm air and moisture from the U.S., coupled with cold air already in our region, were the triggers. The mixed precipitation will move east into northwestern Ontario on Friday afternoon. A line of thunderstorms is also on the move there, passing near Fort Frances and heading northeast toward Sioux Lookout. Clouds, strong northwest winds, and sub-zero temperatures will stick around Winnipeg and surrounding regions. Elsewhere, a large swath of snow is expected on Friday from Swan River through Norway House to Island Lake and Shamattawa, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The weather agency calls for five to 10 centimetres of snowfall, but said up to 15 centimetres is possible in areas with the heaviest snow by midday on Saturday. Southwestern regions, including Dauphin and Brandon, will also get a dusting of light snow or flurries on Friday. Don’t count on springtime temperatures returning to Winnipeg this weekend, but at least the sunshine will return. By Monday, daytime highs will jump back up into the mid-teens, peaking on Wednesday with a forecast high of 20 C under a mix of sun and cloud.
