Approximately 3,000 Manitoba Hydro customers were still experiencing power outages on Tuesday afternoon following a storm system that brought rain and snow across various parts of the province on Monday. The transition from rain to heavy, wet snow resulted in trees collapsing and power lines snapping, exacerbated by high winds leading to widespread outages. At its peak, over 12,000 customers were impacted by the storm.
The majority of the remaining 3,000 affected customers are situated in northern Manitoba, according to Hydro spokesperson Peter Chura. Hydro is working towards restoring power by 8 p.m. on Tuesday, with some tasks possibly extending into Wednesday. Affected communities are centered around The Pas and northwest of Thompson, including Nelson House and Leaf Rapids.
Efforts to restore power in the north are being bolstered by crews from Brandon and Selkirk. While over 150 reports of downed power lines have been received, additional damage is being uncovered as crews navigate through the affected regions. Other areas impacted include eastern and western parts of the province.
Around 300 individuals near Swan River in the west were without power on Tuesday morning, with an estimated restoration time of 8 p.m. Power restoration is also anticipated today for customers in Russell and Dauphin areas in western Manitoba. In eastern Manitoba, about 150 reports of downed power lines due to fallen trees were received, with a smaller number of customers still awaiting restoration, expected by 7 p.m.
Manitoba Hydro’s social media platforms will provide updated information on restoration schedules. Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning on Monday, predicting snowfall amounts ranging from 10-25 centimeters, with some areas in northern Manitoba potentially exceeding 30 cm.
Snow Lake recorded the highest snow accumulation at 35 cm, followed by Thompson with 20 cm and Flin Flon with 12 cm. Liquid measurements in millimeters were also recorded, with notable amounts in various communities. These figures are likely to increase as the snow transitions to liquid.
Environment Canada’s operational meteorologist, Kyle McAulay, highlighted the rain-to-snow transition as the system moved northward into colder temperatures. McAulay noted that significant melting is expected due to sunny skies and daytime temperatures around 5°C in Thompson and surrounding regions.
Safety precautions were emphasized, urging individuals to stay at least 10 meters away from downed power lines and to report outages online or by calling 1-888-624-9376.