Photo: Geralyn Wichers

Prairie forecast: Fall weather still trying to hold on

Forecast issued Nov. 13, covering Nov. 13 to 20, 2024

These forecasts are starting to sound a bit repetitive. Fall trying to hold on, a couple of weak areas of low pressure, cooling trend late in the forecast period, with the chance of a storm – but confidence is low, and that storm system never does materialize as expected!



This is a series of maps that show the forecasted temperature anomalies for the CFS model for the months of November through to February. As you can see this model is forecasted above average temperatures in November and December, with a cool down to below average temperatures in January and February.

Prairie weather: A warm dry October

Fall's coming to an end: What will winter hold in store for the Prairies?

Reading Time: 4 minutes October weather was dry and warm across the Prairies, with Manitoba seeing the variation from normal rainfall.


A late-October cornfield in southeastern Manitoba. Photo: Geralyn Wichers

Prairie forecast: Warmer weather to continue

Forecast issued Oct. 30, covering Oct. 30 to Nov. 6, 2024

For this forecast period, as we work into what's often the first month of winter across the Prairies, it looks like the current warmer and drier-than-average pattern of the last two months will continue. Now, to be fair, we need to realize that we are transitioning into winter. Average temperatures are cooling, so though the forecasting is calling for above-average temperatures, those temperatures are getting cooler and cooler.

(Keeperofthezoo/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie forecast: Mild pattern trying to hold on

This forecast starts with an area of low pressure over northern Ontario and a resulting push of cool air over the eastern half of the Prairies. Over the western half of the Prairies, a weak ridge of high pressure is moving in. This will bring sunny skies and average or above average temperatures.


(WPohlDesign/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie forecast: No snow – yet

Forecast issued Oct. 16, covering Oct. 16 to 23, 2024

As we work our way towards winter, we'll eventually have to start talking about snow... but it looks like that type of weather is at least another week away. Instead, the models show unseasonably warm weather continuing across much of the Prairies over this forecast period.



File photo of cattle on pasture northeast of Calgary. (James_Gabbert/iStock/Getty Images)

Prairie forecast: Mild temperatures to continue

Forecast issued Oct. 9, covering Oct. 9 to 16, 2024

As this forecast period starts, the Prairies are feeling the effects of an upper ridge as it slowly slides eastwards and breaks down thanks due to low-pressure tracking over the ridge. Here is where things get interesting. Overall, the models have consistently shown an area of low-pressure tracking over the ridge late this week and over the weekend. This low is forecasted to drop southeastwards and deepen dramatically.