Record-setting warm spell continues

Another month has come and gone, and as for the winter of 2011-12, it seems like it was the winter that really never was. February, to no one’s surprise, came in well above average, making it the eighth month in a row that we’ve seen above-average temperatures. Both the Brandon and Winnipeg regions had February

There’s plenty of melting ahead

If you enjoy winter weather and getting outdoors to enjoy the snow, then you’d better take advantage of the next week. The weather models have been pointing toward a significant warming to begin near the end of this forecast period and if the models are correct most areas of agricultural Manitoba will be snow free


Southwest reeve slams province’s 2011 flood response record

The provincial government’s handling of the 2011 flood has come under fire from a group representing 40 rural municipalities and towns in the southwest corner of the province. The province needs to step up its efforts in the area hard hit by severe overland flooding of the Souris and Assiniboine rivers almost one year ago,

Warm winter: Putting it all together

It looks like this is a good time to finish our look at the different weather patterns that have been affecting our weather this winter, because the weather pattern that has been dominating for most of the fall and winter appears to be undergoing a shift. In the last article we continued our look at


Will we see a late-winter cold snap?

It’s looking more and more likely that our weather pattern will undergo a bit of a switch over the next week or so. We saw the first indications of this early in the week, as a Colorado low brushed southeastern areas and brought the first heavy snow event of the year to this region. No

La Niña seen fading between March and May

La Niña, a weather phenomenon usually linked to heavy rains and flooding in Asia-Pacific and South America and drought in Africa, seems to have reached its peak and is expected to fade between March and May, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said Feb. 10. A weak to moderate La Niña pattern has cooled the tropical


Weather a mixed blessing for insects

Insect populations overwintering in Western Canada are likely enjoying the warmer-than-normal temperatures seen across the Canadian Prairies this winter, but the lack of snow cover could lead to increased mortality if and when the mercury does drop. Environment Canada forecasts for Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta are calling for unseasonably warm temperatures over the next week,

Semi-permanent highs and lows

By the time you read this article it will already be February and you will probably be expecting the usual monthly weather summary and looking forward to seeing what the long-range forecasts call for in the next month. Unfortunately, because I write these articles in advance to meet publishing deadlines, the long-range outlook will have


Expect conditions mild to start, then cooler

Ithink the first thing I need to point out is that the usual temperature range for this time of the year is now getting warmer, which means we are past the middle of winter and heading toward spring! That is pretty much how this forecast looks. It doesn’t look like the overall pattern we’ve been

Record-breaking temperatures

Iknow some of you who faithfully follow my weather column are going to be upset, but I have to take a break from the explanation of what causes the North Atlantic Oscillation and focus this week instead on the monthly look back at the weather, then look ahead at what wonders the weather may hold