More highways reopen, several remain closed amid southern Manitoba blizzard warnings

Several highways remained closed Friday afternoonafter blizzard warnings were issued for parts of the south, while frigid temperatures grip some areas in northern Manitoba.

Blizzard warnings are in effect in south-central Manitoba, including areas near the Canada-U.S. border where a group of protesters were demonstrating Thursday against pandemic restrictions and a federal vaccine mandate for truckers.

Environment Canada said highway conditions areexpected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility.

Drivers should slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop. If you get stranded,stay in your vehicle until conditions improve, Environment Canada says.

• Environment Canada weather alerts for Manitoba

Blizzard warnings are in effect for the following places:

• Steinbach, St. Adolphe, Emerson, Vita andRicher.
• Morden, Winkler, Altona andMorris.

Conditions are expected to improve through the day, but the following highways remainclosed:

• Highway 3, from Sperling to North Junction Highway 34.
• Highway 8, from Winnipeg city limits to Highway 67.
• Highway 13, from Elm Creek to Carman.
• Highway 15, from Winnipeg city limits to Anola.
• Highway 23, from Highway 34 to Highway 75.
• Highway 100 (south Perimeter), from Highway 1 East to Highway 1 West.
• Highway 101 (north Perimeter), from Highway 1 West to Highway 1 East.

Highway 75 was closed but reopened from Winnipeg to the U.S. bordershortly before 8:30 a.m.

Highway 6, from Ashern to St. Laurent, has alsoreopened, as hasHighway 325, which was previously closed from Highway 6 to Highway 68. Highway 417 has reopened as well from Highway 6 west.

Highway 1, from Highway 207 to Highway 11,and Highway 2,from Starbuck to St. Claude, both reopened around noon, as did Highway 12from Highway 1 to North Junction Highway 203.

Highway 14, from Highway 3 to Highway 75,andHighway 52, from Mitchell to La Broquerie, also reopened around the same time.

Blowing snow

Wind gusts in the 60 to 80 km/h range, paired with blowing snow,led to blowing snow advisories in Winnipeg and the surrounding areas in the morning.

Blowing snow advisories that had been in effect earlier Friday for Portage la Prairie, Headingley, Brunkild, Carman and Winnipeg were lifted before 11 a.m.

Advisories forSelkirk, Gimli, Stonewall, Woodlands,Dugald,Beausejour andGrand Beach were ended before 9 a.m.

Environment Canada expected strong windsto diminish through the day.

The agency also forecast below-seasonal temperatures topersist in parts ofsouthern Manitoba into next week.

Cold warnings

Environment Canada also kept extreme cold warnings in placeFriday in northern Manitoba, then extended them eastward and into theInterlake and central parts of the province.

By early afternoon as conditions improved, most of those warnings had been lifted, including inChurchill, Grand Rapids,Waterhen,Norway House, Cross Lake,Wabowdenand York.

Warnings remained in place forTadoule Lake and Brochet, wheretemperatures were expected to drop close to 40 C along with wind gusts of 10 to 20 kilometres an hour that could produce wind chills in the 45 to 55 range.

Environment Canada says bitterly cold temperatures are expected through most of the weekend in the northernmost regions.

Extreme cold conditions bring an elevated risk of frostbite and hypothermia, the weather agency warns.

Cold-related symptoms include muscle pain and weakness, chest pain, shortness of breath, and numbness and discolouration in the fingers and toes.