The snow is falling and it's not letting up anytime soon. But here's where it gets controversial: while some regions are bracing for a heavy snowfall, others are expecting a more moderate accumulation. Is this a case of regional differences in weather patterns, or are there other factors at play?
As of Wednesday morning, much of the region is already shoveling out from the first wave of snowfall, brought on by a strong winter storm that will impact the area through the remainder of the day and into Thursday. Reports indicate that 7-10cm of heavy, wet snow has already fallen, with an additional 10cm expected during the day and potentially several more centimeters tonight.
'It does appear that the changeover to snow from rain/freezing rain Tuesday night happened later, meaning the initial snowfall totals as of Wednesday morning were likely on the lower end of the initial forecast,' noted Chris Sumner, a CMOS Accredited Weathercaster. 'On top of that, I suspect there may have been some melting and compaction last night, also leading to what we saw first thing today.'
A Snowfall Warning remains in place across most of Southern Manitoba, while the Blowing Snow Advisory has ended for the Manitou and Pilot Mound regions. For the latest road reports and cancellations, visit the Sun Valley Tire Road Report (https://www.pembinavalleyonline.com/features/road-reports-&-cancellations).
'It's important to note that this is only the beginning of the accumulating snowfall,' stressed Sumner. 'This will be a long storm event, with precipitation expected to last 24 hours or more, since it began Tuesday. Periods of snow are expected to last well into Thursday, with the flakes finally tapering off by tomorrow night.'
Sumner added that there will continue to be periods of more intense snowfall, followed by lighter periods or even brief breaks, but generally speaking, snow is expected to continue into Wednesday night and beyond. 'I'm still confident that by the end of this event, the Pembina and western Red River Valleys will be in the 15cm range, with some locations pushing the higher end of the forecast range getting closer to 20cm.'
Meanwhile, easterly winds will continue to diminish throughout the day, and are already much lighter than last night's gusts to 60+ km/h. We may see gusts up to 50km/h during the day, then becoming relatively light tonight. For the latest CDK Electric forecast, visit (https://www.pembinavalleyonline.com/weather).
'Again, this moisture-filled system will certainly feel like those traditional Spring snowstorms we see in March and April,' he added. 'My takeaway is to keep in mind that what you're seeing outside your window this morning is only the beginning, with substantial snowfall to come, so keep those shovels handy and your snowblower ready to go. We will need them.'
What do you think? Are you bracing for a heavy snowfall, or expecting a more moderate accumulation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
