Blowing snow forecasted for parts of Manitoba

Snow blowing across a highway west of Winnipeg on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014. (Photo courtesy of @chaserimkus/Twitter)

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) is monitoring a system that could bring periods of blowing snow to parts of southern Manitoba in the coming days.

According to a special ECCC weather statement, a developing low-pressure system in Montana could spread into southern Saskatchewan Friday night. As the system tracks eastward into North Dakota, snow could spread through southeastern Saskatchewan and into southern Manitoba.

ECCC said snow is likely to spread across southwestern Manitoba Friday night, and push into southeastern Manitoba Saturday morning or Saturday night.

A graphic by Environment and Climate Change Canada shows areas in southwestern Manitoba affected by its special weather statement.

The weather department predicts 10 to 20 centimetres of snow could fall in some areas in the system, but numbers could vary.

Additionally, moderate southeasterly winds are likely to develop ahead of the system, producing areas of blowing snow. This could result in deteriorating travel conditions in southwestern Manitoba early Saturday, ECCC said.

“Confidence with this system at this time is low to moderate due to the variability of the system's track,” the ECCC statement read.

“It is possible that over the next 24 hours the track of the low may shift further south, limiting the snowfall amounts and blowing snow potential.”

ECCC says its meteorologists will actively track the system as it develops, and asks the public to watch for updated forecasts and alerts.