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By Julia Lovett-Squires

High Winds

Weather system makes for a blustery week in the Battlefords

Jun 8, 2024 | 8:00 AM

Having a difficult time staying on the ground?

Anyone who has stepped outdoors this past week or looked out the window might have noticed that the weather isn’t quite normal.

“This is associated with a weather system that started moving through the province on Monday,” said Terri Lang, meteorologist Environment and Climate Change Canada.

She explained that while the winds kicked up around Tuesday, it originated in Alberta earlier this week before travelling across the prairies and into Northwestern Ontario. Then it did something odd, it boomeranged.

“It’s back in Manitoba and it strengthened while it was passing so when we have a deepening low-pressure system like we have, that’s when we tend to get the really strong winds,” she said.

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“It’s just because of that one weather system that just won’t leave.”

After today, the winds should die down and get back to normal levels and by Sunday, the system should move off completely as a ridge of high pressure from the north brings cooler air by Monday.

“It’ll bring us sunny skies and that wind should finally be gone.”

Meanwhile, the earlier weather which brought funnel clouds to the Battlefords last week is normal for this time of year.

“Funnel clouds, thundershowers, showers, rain, sunny skies, all that mix, that’s what it’s supposed to look like at this time of year,” said Lang.

“It’s just that the last two springs have been very a-typical we’ve gotten,” she added, referring to the dry and hot weather of previous years.

When the winds are this strong, there are some ways one can do to protect themselves and property.

“The best thing you can do when it comes to the winds like this is make sure everything around your property is secured – you know – that your pool floaties are secured – it’s stuff around your yard that can blow around,” she said, noting that garbage and recycling bins also have a way of flying around.

“Always keep your trees – dead branches – as clean as you can, like when there are dead branches, try to get rid of them as soon as possible, ‘cause those are the types of things that break off and then land on people’s cars and cause damage,” she said.

“If you’re out on the highways, these types of days are not the days to be hauling your trailer or you know, anything like that because it can be really challenging in winds like this.”

Meanwhile, Lang said the length of the system is unusual and it has led to a wide range of weather including heavy rain in northern Manitoba and northern Saskatchewan, land spout tornadoes in Alberta and light snow in northern Saskatchewan.

“That’s all the exact same weather system,” she said.

“It’s time for this one to mosey on I think, ‘cause I think we’re kind of sick of it.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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