Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement as it tracks another Colorado Low headed for southern Manitoba. The system should arrive sometime Friday morning, resulting in a weekend that is snowy, rainy and windy.

According to Environment Canada, the Colorado Low will move through the dakotas this weekend, affecting the southern half of Manitoba Friday morning and through Monday. This system should bring a wintery mix of precipitation including a swath of heavy snow from southeastern Saskatchewan through the Manitoba parklands and interlake as well as periods of heavy rain for the Red River Valley and areas further east.

Where the snow is heaviest, between 25 and 50 centimetres is expected. However, snowfall amounts will vary drastically throughout the rest of the province. Most areas of southeastern Manitoba will experience periods of heavy rain, at times mixed with snow or freezing rain. On Saturday, these areas may be enhanced at times by embedded thunderstorms, and could see 25 to 50 millimetres of rain, especially over upslope areas of the Red River Valley. Also, strong winds gusting from 60 to 90 km/h will encompass a large area of southern Manitoba, beginning Saturday, through Sunday.

The strongest wind gusts on Sunday are also likely to line up with the heaviest bands of snow, bringing widespread reduced visibilities in blowing snow. Blowing snow is also possible on Saturday. However, Environment Canada says it is difficult to predict because of uncertainties in whether this will fall as snow, rain, ice pellets or a combination. The risk of reduced visibilities in blowing snow will be there wherever the snow is falling in strong winds. This will likely make travel difficult in these areas.

The system is expected to move into Ontario on Monday. Lingering flurries will remain for most of the province, but with no significant accumulations expected.

Environment Canada says confidence regarding the track of this Colorado Low is slowly improving but remains uncertain and deviations in the track could lead to significant changes in the projected storm-total accumulations, precipitation type and wind speeds over the region.