This Thanksgiving weekend marks one year since a historic winter storm hit the province that saw heavy snow blanket the region, and high winds knock out power and other services for days on end in some areas.

As Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist, Sara Hoffman, explains, it was all caused by a low pressure system that swung up from the United States and stalled over southern Manitoba, continuing to spin over the area throughout the weekend.

What made the system more impactful, says Hoffman, was that for the most part, there was still foliage on the trees that captured the wet, heavy snow and caused branches to break, resulting in widespread power outages. She adds the effects were then exacerbated by "incredible" wind gusts in the neighbourhood of 80 km/h. According to Hoffman, the strongest gust reported to the agency was 101 km/h at Eden, Manitoba. As well, she says the impacts of the excessive moisture dropped by the system were felt long after it passed as the storm hit during a time when there was an elevated flood risk, particularly in the southeast and along the Red River Valley.

to more large-scale low pressure systems.

"What fuels these storms is that sharp contrast in temperatures," she explains. "In the fall we have that cold air sinking down from the north and then we still have those really warm temperatures from the United States that can make their way north. So, in fall we've got quite strong temperature gradients that can fuel these storms." Hoffman adds this is also true for early-spring.

As for this Thanksgiving weekend, the weather is shaping up to be quite the opposite from last year, however, Hoffman is expecting a low pressure system to form in Alberta and track northeastward.

"So I am expecting some stronger winds from the south-southeast from Saturday to Monday, but I am expecting it to stay relatively dry, sunny and warm." Hoffman is also expecting daytime highs to be well above normal for this time of year, which in southern Manitoba is about 13 degrees Celsius. "We are forecasting well over five degrees above that through the weekend," she adds.