Severe winds wreak havoc on southern Manitoba

Manitobans are in cleanup mode after intense winds barreled through southern parts of the province this weekend.

Pierson Pumpkin Patch, located southwest of Pierson, Man., said in a Facebook post it’ll be closed this weekend after the wind destroyed their corn mazes.

“We will decide about the rest of the season after clean up,” it wrote in the post.

Damage after severe winds rocked Pierson Pumpkin Patch. Uploaded Oct. 5, 2024. (Pierson Pumpkin Patch/Facebook)

According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), southwestern Manitoba got hit the hardest. Brandon, Man., saw wind gusts of 94 kilometres per hour, while Deerwood, Man., reported gusts of 93 km/h.

“The winds were pretty widespread, but the damaging winds were in that area,” ECCC meteorologist Shannon Moodie told CTV News.

Near Melita, Man., the wind tore off the roof of Medora School, a historic site last operated in the 1970s.

The wind tore off part of the roof of Medora School near Melita, Man. Uploaded on Oct. 5, 2024. (Aaron Vanbeselaere/Facebook)

A large tree fell on a playground in Winnipeg's Ridley Park Sunday, damaging the structure. Those who live in the area told CTV News no one was injured, but they were told by the city that the debris wouldn't be cleared for weeks.

"It's disappointing to say the least," Matt Smith, an area resident, said. "I know we had a major wind storm, I know that it was tough, but I expect when you call in to say that there's a major tree that's fallen on a play structure in a park that's populated by kids, you would have a better answer and you'd have them come out and take a look a little bit quicker."

In River Heights, the wind knocked down multiple power lines, causing major outages for Manitoba Hydro customers.

On Sunday, some people were still in the dark. In a post on X, the Crown corporation said crews were working to restore power but there was no estimate for when things would be back up and running.

“We understand many of you have been without power for an extended time and that it's uncomfortable,” Manitoba Hydro wrote in another post. "Know we are working as quickly (and) as safely as possible to restore your service. Your patience is appreciated."

 

In an interview with CTV News, Manitoba Hydro media relations officer Peter Chura said additional staff have been called in to help with repairs. 

"We had calls that include downed power lines, trees on lines, pole damage, pole fires," Chura said. "So a lot of those take some time to work through."

Chura added that the Crown corporation hopes to restore power to most of its customers by Sunday evening, but some people should be prepared for extended outages.

"We appreciate your patience for sure," Chura said. "There are difficulties in getting to all of these different power outages and all the damage that needs to be repaired, and our priority is to do it as safely and as quickly as possible."

Future forecast

While some parts of southern Manitoba could see some more wind Sunday, Moodie said it won't be anything like the day before. 

"The system was very fast moving, and it's now moved into Ontario. So with that, the winds have have died down," she said.