Southern Manitoba endured record-setting heat over the weekend, as a heat warning remains in effect for the Portage region.
Portage la Prairie and several other communities experienced temperatures well above seasonal norms, with Portage reaching 31.2°C on Sunday—just edging past its 1976 record of 31.0°C.
Eric Dykes, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, confirms the heat has affected much of the region.
“We saw quite a number [of records] yesterday,” notes Dykes. “Melita, Sprague, Steinbach, Dominion City, Deerwood, Altona—all these areas broke records yesterday in the heat, with more than likely more to come today.”
Emerson recorded the highest temperature in Manitoba on Mother's Day, reaching a scorching 37.8°C.
Scattered showers, more rain on the way
Some regions, including Portage, saw scattered thunderstorms overnight. Most areas received light rainfall, though higher totals were recorded west of the city.
There was also a report of a funnel cloud Sunday evening northwest of Portage.
“Cypress Hills and Carberry received about anywhere between 10 to 15 mm,” adds Dykes. “Lesser amounts in the Portage region—anywhere from a trace to about 5 millimetres.”
The forecast for Monday calls for a mix of sun and cloud with a 60 percent chance of showers early in the morning, as well as a risk of thunderstorms. The day will clear by the afternoon with winds picking up, and a high of 34°C is expected, with a humidex reaching 36.
Monday night will see clear skies and light winds, with a low of 20°C.
Temperatures to tumble by weekend
By Tuesday temperatures will remain hot, with a high of 32°C and a humidex of 34. Winds will shift from the south in the morning to the north in the late afternoon, gusting up to 60 km/h.
A significant change is on the horizon for midweek. By Wednesday, a mix of sun and cloud will bring temperatures down to a high of 23°C. On Thursday rain is expected with a high of only 15°C, and Friday will bring more rain and even cooler conditions, with a high of just 4°C and strong winds.
“By the end of the week, we'll see a dramatic drop in temperatures,” remarks Dykes. “30° difference there, basically bookending the work week.”
Typical swings for early May
While the sharp change might feel jarring, it’s not entirely unusual for this time of year. Cold air remains nearby in the north and can easily dip south when conditions align. Dykes says the same system expected to bring rain to southern Manitoba could also bring snow or freezing rain to areas further north.
Stalled front responsible for intense heat
The heat wave has been driven by a stationary warm front that parked itself over the southern Prairies for several days. With little movement in low-pressure systems, warm, dry air from the U.S. was allowed to build over the region uninterrupted.
“It’s essentially a warm front that has not moved because there has not been a lot of movement in the low pressure systems around the Prairies,” explains Dykes.
By Wednesday, that stalled pattern will break as a cold front moves through, ushering in not only the rain but a return to more seasonable May conditions.