Environment Canada warns of strong winds, heavy rain and snow for southern Manitoba

The spring storm in Manitoba in April 2022.

WINNIPEG -

Environment Canada is warning southern Manitobans about strong winds, heavy rain and snow coming to the province this weekend.

The weather agency issued a special weather statement on Thursday for communities across southern Manitoba, including Winnipeg, Brandon, Portage la Prairie, and Steinbach.

The weather statement says that another Colorado low is moving through the Dakotas this weekend, which will bring winter weather to southern Manitoba from Friday morning through Monday.

The Colorado low is expected to bring heavy snow from southeast Saskatchewan through the Manitoba Parklands and Interlake. Environment Canada is predicting 25 to 50 centimetres of wet snow. The system will also bring strong winds, poor visibility and freezing rain.

Those in Winnipeg, the Red River Valley and areas in the east should expect cold, rainy and windy weather this weekend; however, there is also the possibility of snow and freezing rain.

Environment Canada expects precipitation to begin moving through Manitoba early on Friday. It is predicted to be a band of snow turning to rain, with the potential for freezing rain along the international border.

The weather system is expected to move to Ontario on Monday. There will still be some lingering flurries in Manitoba, but significant snow accumulations are not expected.

Environment Canada said Colorado lows are hard to predict and the details of the weather forecast will continue to change.