Much needed rainfall has arrived across Southern Manitoba, and for some locations the last 24 hours is the first accumulating precipitation (more than trace to a millimeter) in three to four weeks.
"As a moisture filled low pressure system pushed northward out of the Dakotas yesterday, several rounds of showers and embedded thunderstorms moved across the region mid to late Thursday afternoon, before general rainfall began early in the evening," explained CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner. "The rain took a little longer to arrive in the Pembina and Red River Valley than initially expected, but now that it's here, through Friday night, we can expect on-again, off-again precipitation."
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The following totals are for May 15th through 5am Friday, May 16th. Data is courtesy PembinaValleyOnline Rainwatchers, Environment Canada and the Manitoba Ag Weather Network:
Morden (two miles south) - 75mm
Morden (in city) - 72.5mm
Winkler (in city) - 65mm
Elm Creek - 60mm
Altona - 57.5mm
Reinland - 56.8mm
Rosenfeld - 50mm
Winkler (south of city) - 47.7mm
Manitou - 44.5mm
Brandon 40.2mm
Woodmore - 37.5mm
Morris - 35.8mm
Jordan - 31.8mm
Plum Coulee - 30.22mm
Kane - 29.0mm
Dominion City - 27.7mm
Carman - 20.8mm
Cartwright - 16.1mm
Clearwater - 18.2.mm
Steinbach - 13.3mm
25mm = 1 inch
Chilly and windy start to May Long
"The low impacting us is currently centred over Minnesota and eastern North Dakota, and very slowly will track eastward toward Lake Superior," he said. "As it does, the counterclockwise rotation around it will continue to spread showers over the area Friday as we look ahead to a chilly start to May Long weekend."
According to Sumner, as a cold front sweeps through the region, and an upper level trough builds behind this low, it will produce very strong northerly wind gusts possibly up to 80km/h Friday. It will also usher in a cold, arctic airmass as high pressure centred over Nunavut and Hudson Bay pushes the jet stream well to our south. Temperatures will fall throughout Friday afternoon as the cold air arrives landing around +4.
"Well below average temperatures will start May Long," he said. "Northerly flow aloft and at the surface will usher in cold, arctic air to Southern Manitoba. That will lead to a risk of Frost Friday and Saturday nights, and daytime highs Saturday struggling to get to the 5 to 8 degree range. Gusty northerly winds will continue tomorrow, too, up to 50km/h, with lingering cloud cover from the system impacting us Friday keeping things grey before clearing begins Saturday night."
Conditions will improve for Sunday and Monday, as that surface high pressure pushes the clouds away, sunshine returns. Daytime highs will be in the 14 to 17 range, with little chance of rain.
"It is going to be a traditional Manitoba May Long in Manitoba, with part of it cool and wet, and some of it sunny and a little closer to seasonal," said Sumner.
Average daytime highs for this point in May are 21, with overnight lows around 7 degrees.
Sumner also stressed, even with the arrival of rain and coolers temperatures, it's important to doublecheck regarding what your respective community's fire/burn ban situation is before lighting one this weekend.