Updated at 5:45 p.m. Sunday, April 2nd - Stormy, and feeling very much like winter weather, is on the forecast agenda for the next three of four days.

Snowfall Warnings continue for all of Western Manitoba including the Melita, Souris, Virden, Brandon, Boissevain, Killarney, Pilot Mound, Manitou and Carman regions as an Alberta Clipper tracks along the U.S. border bringing 10 to 15cms in total by Monday morning. Lesser amounts of 2 to 5cms are expected for the western Red River Valley and Southeastern Manitoba. Gusty north winds, up to 50 km/h, are expected to develop Sunday night, and combined with the falling snow, will lead to blowing snow in open areas, further reducing visibilities. The breezy conditions are expected to last into Monday morning, with some local blowing and drifting snow likely for the morning commute.

Meanwhile, Environment Canada has issued a Winter Storm Watch for much of the remainder of Southern Manitoba, including the Morden, Winkler, Altona, Emerson, Morris, Steinbach, Vita and Sprague areas.

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A Colorado Low is poised to impact parts of the province Tuesday through Thursday.

"Confidence is increasing  portions of southern and southeastern Manitoba will be impacted by a major spring snow storm this week," stated the text of the Watch. "While the exact track of the low pressure system will change as the event onset nears, general amounts of 15 to 25 cm of snow appear likely."

The highest confidence for heavy snow lies over the extreme southeast corner of Manitoba, with confidence decreasing farther to the northwest, although latest guidance appears to be narrowing in on a more northerly track.

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In addition to the heavy snow, strong northerly winds will produce poor visibilities in blowing snow.

More seasonal, above-freezing temperatures are likely by the weekend in the wake of this low pressure system.

For our original story with CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner, continue reading below

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Updated at 7:25am Sunday, April 2nd - The first few days of April are lining up to be active ones, from a weather perspective, with an Alberta Clipper wrapping up the weekend on Sunday, and the potential for a high impact spring snowstorm Tuesday night through Thursday morning.

“A fast moving low pressure system will move eastward out of the southern Rockies late Saturday, and then briskly trek along the international border Sunday into Monday morning,” explained CMOS Accredited Weathercaster Chris Sumner. “A good amount of relatively warm air and moisture are being pulled into this clipper, ahead of its arrival, and that’s setting this one up to pack a pretty good punch, for some regions, in a pretty short period of time.”

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A wintry mix is the best way to describe what’s to come, according to Sumner.

“With the warm air aloft and moisture rich environment within this system, there a risk of freezing rain as the warm front moves through, before precipitation changes to snow early Sunday morning in the southwest and in the afternoon further east in the Red River Valley and Southeastern corner of the province.”

Environment Canada has issued Snowfall Warnings for most of western Manitoba, including the Virden, Melita, Souris, Boissevain and Turtle Mountain Provincial Park regions. On Sunday morning those Snowfall Warnings were extended eastward to include the Kilarney, Pilot Mound and Carman regions. Between 10 to 15cms is expected in those regions by Monday morning, with snowfall rates enhanced by the topography of the Turtle Mountains, meaning those areas are most likely to see the higher end of the estimates.

“Further east, into the Red River Valley and Southeastern Manitoba, we’re expecting less snow on Sunday, probably topping out between 5 to 10cms from the Red River, west to the Manitoba escarpment, and 5cms, or a little more, for areas east of the Red River,” he added. “In typical Alberta clipper fashion, as the low and cold front pass, northwesterly winds will pick up, with gusts up to 60km/h Sunday night. We’re expecting the gusty winds to coincide with snowfall, meaning blowing snow and reduced visibility will be a factor.”

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There may be some lingering flurries Monday morning, with breezy conditions continuing.

“As kids head back to school after Spring Break, and we get another work week underway, less than ideal driving conditions will be likely, with a combination of leftover icy conditions from Sunday, and some blowing and drifting snow,” said Sumner.

Quieter conditions are in the forecast for Monday and Tuesday, before all attention shifts to what continues to look like a significant Spring snowstorm for parts of Southern Manitoba, the Dakotas and Minnesota.

“The long-range forecast models continue to sharpen their guidance on a strong Colorado low impacting the Northern U.S. Plains, and much of Southern Manitoba from Tuesday night through Thursday morning,” Sumner explained. “The exact timing and location of highest impacts is still uncertain, but there is widespread model agreement that a substantial storm bringing significant snowfall and strong winds is likely.”

Even though the exact track of the low is still uncertain, at this point, the forecast model guidance is showing the potential for 15 to 20cms of snow, and sustained winds of 40 to 60 km/h, for the Red River Valley and Southeastern Manitoba. Based on the current expected track of the Colorado low, the southwestern part of the province would see less snow, but would still be impacted by the system.

“The specifics of how much and exactly where and when are still in flux,” he added. “But I want to stress, it is looking very likely we’ll see an impactful event that may end being the most significant storm of the Winter-Spring 22/23 season. I’d encourage keeping an eye on the forecast, and being prepared to change or cancel plans in the Wednesday and Thursday time frame, depending on how long the system lingers, and how substantial the impacts are.”