Storm system expected to bring mix of rain and snow to southern Manitoba this weekend

The forecast for southern Manitoba this weekend predicts more wet stuff on top of the unusual amount of precipitation the region has recently received.

Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for most of the southern half of the province, from Poplar River on the east side of Lake Winnipeg, across the Interlake to the Parklandregion in the west, and south to the U.S. border.

The coming storm system, another Colorado Low moving through the Dakotas, will bring a mix of strong winds, heavy snowand rain, starting Friday through to Monday.

Different regions of the province will get very different weather.

The Manitoba Parklandand Interlake regions will get heavy snow, from 25 to 50 centimetres,the weather agency forecast. Strong winds will cause blowing snow, making visibility poor at times.

Winnipeg, the Red River Valley and areas to the southeast will get cold temperatures with rain and strong winds, and a possibility of some snow and freezing rain.

The weather agency says Colorado Lows are "notoriously difficult to predict" and the forecastcould change.

Depending on how much precipitation falls, the storm could cause moderate to major flooding along the Red River.

In its latest flood forecast on Wednesday, Manitoba's hydrologic forecast centre said weather models do not fully agree on the amount, location and intensity of the precipitation, but there is a "very high confidence" that parts of the central and southern Red River basins could see up to 30 centimetres of snow and 40-50 millimetres of rain.

The Red River Floodway was put into operation earlier this month, but it was recently stopped as the river levels receded from the earlier spring runoff. The province says it could be reactivated if needed, as early as May 1.