A new flood bulletin said high winds could push ice onto shore along several Manitoba lakes Tuesday.
“Moderate to strong northwest winds will create a high risk of shoreline ice pileup on the windward shores of Lake Manitoba, Lake Winnipeg (Victoria Beach), and Dauphin Lake,” said the province in its flood bulletin Tuesday.
With ice continuing to break up on some lakes, the high winds can push the weakened or broken ice onto land.
“There is a moderate to high risk of shoreline ice pileup on the windward shore of Lake Winnipeg (Gimli), a moderate risk on the windward shores of Lake Winnipegosis and a low to moderate risk of shoreline ice pileup on the windward shore of Lake St. Martin,” said the province Tuesday.
Winds are expected to die down on Wednesday, leading to low to moderate risk of shoreline ice piling up on lakes.
Along with winds, a weather system is also expected to bring rain to southern and northern Manitoba on Tuesday and into Wednesday.
“There is an unstable weather system developing today and tomorrow over southern and northern Manitoba. Most areas will generally receive 10 millimetres of rain by tomorrow morning with localized cells bringing up to 30 mm,” said the province. “The amounts and timing are still uncertain. Officials will be monitoring the situation and conditions closely.”
Fierce winds slammed a wall of lake ice into numerous residences in the Ochre Beach area along Dauphin Lake last week. The province met Tuesday with area residents to start the process of applying for Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA).
Permanent residents are eligible, but cottagers are not, said the province.
"Federal regulations prevent owners of secondary residences (cottages) from applying to the program," said the province in a statement. "Our government, along with other provinces, has continued to ask the Federal Government to consider making DFA available to cottage owners."
More information on flood conditions is available on the province website at http://www.gov.mb.ca/flooding/ or on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MBgov or by calling 1-866-626-4862.
