We’re not out of the extreme cold warnings yet but almost…

“Getting to the end of a very cold week,” is how Environment Canada’s Eric Dykes puts it.

After a bone chilling spell of high Arctic pressure stuck over the southern part of the province, many Manitobans are likely to endure “one more night” before more season temperatures arrive. 

With overnight temperatures hovering around the minus 40 mark with windchill and little moderation through the daytime hours, it certainly has been a tough stretch — even for the hardiest of Manitobans. 

“We’ve been dealing with a La Niña,” says meteorologist Dykes. The oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon is the colder counterpart to El Niño. “(La Niña) usually gives us colder and snowier winters and sure enough that has come to fruition as we know.”

Relief is on the way, however. 

A return to just-below-seasonal temperatures is expected to begin Friday with a seasonal minus 5 in the forecast Saturday. 

“We should be done with this (cold weather) for a stretch and goodness knows we deserve it,” says Dykes. “Thankfully the end is near for the cold.” 

March may enter as a meek lion though the forecast looks to indicate a general lamb this year. 

“Monday, we do have snow in the forecast once again,” says Dykes, though it doesn’t sound like it will be a heavy dump. “Maybe about 2 or at most 2 to 4 centimetres.”

According to longer range forecasting models, there “isn’t really a trend” for southern Manitoba and that’s a good thing, according to Dykes. “The latest run that they are coming out with is not indicating the egregious cold coming our way once again.” 

“It looks like there’s not really a trend warmer or colder, but it does look like it’s going to stay rather dry,” says Dykes.