Sunny Skies Cloaked in Smoke: A Hot Weekend Ahead
Warm and Smoky Start to the Weekend in Winnipeg
Winnipeg – Weather – This Saturday morning in Winnipeg starts off at a mild 13°C under mostly cloudy skies, but the clouds won’t be sticking around for long. Sunshine will dominate the day, though widespread wildfire smoke is expected to drift in by late morning, bringing hazy skies and affecting visibility and air quality across the city.
At 5:00 AM CDT, the conditions at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport reported a temperature of 13.0°C, with a dew point of 7.3°C, giving us a relative humidity of 68%. Winds are light out of the north at just 2 km/h, and barometric pressure is sitting at 101.0 kPa and rising. Visibility is decent at 23 km, though that’s likely to drop once the smoke rolls in later.
Weekend Forecast: Heat and Haze
The forecast calls for mainly sunny skies today, but the sunshine will be filtered through a hazy curtain of wildfire smoke this afternoon. Temperatures are set to climb to a balmy 27°C, but you’ll want to limit strenuous outdoor activity if you’re sensitive to air quality. The UV index is a blazing 9, so if you’re venturing outdoors, slap on the sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat.
Tonight, the smoke sticks around under mostly clear skies, and the mercury dips to a low of 14°C, offering a bit of overnight relief.
Sunday, June 1, continues the hot streak with a high of 29°C, feeling like 30°C with the humidex. Winds will shift southwest at 20 km/h in the afternoon, which may help move the smoke along—fingers crossed. Expect a clear and warm evening, with a low of 19°C.
By Monday, change is in the air. Cloud cover increases with a 60% chance of showers, bringing some needed moisture to the region and a cooldown to a more seasonable 21°C. The skies will begin clearing again Monday night, dropping to a refreshing low of 10°C.
What to Wear and Be Aware
Today’s wardrobe advice: Dress light and breathable for the heat, but consider limiting time outdoors, especially if you’re sensitive to smoke. If you do go out, a mask may help reduce discomfort. Keep sunglasses handy to protect your eyes from both sun and smoke particles, and don’t forget your SPF!
Historic Highs & Fun Facts
For those tracking the weather archives, the record high for May 31 in Winnipeg is 33.3°C, set back in 1949—so today’s forecast of 27°C is warm, but still a few degrees shy of the record. The coldest low for this day was a brisk -2.2°C, recorded in 1964. Safe to say we’re on the toastier side of the ledger this year!
Prairie Trivia
Did you know? Winnipeg is among the sunniest cities in Canada, with over 2,300 hours of sunshine per year. That’s a whole lot of vitamin D—just watch out for the UV index when it cranks up like today!
