WINNIPEG – Severe winter weather, characterized by heavy snowfall and powerful winds, has forced the closure of numerous schools and disrupted travel across southern Manitoba. Environment Canada has issued a yellow alert for a region stretching from the Interlake south through Winnipeg to the U.S. border. While conditions are expected to improve by Friday evening, the province remains under the grip of a significant winter storm.
Travel Warnings and Road Closures
Environment Canada warned that the combination of snow and high winds would reduce visibility to near-zero on several provincial highways. Authorities have urged residents to avoid non-essential travel, citing extremely hazardous driving conditions.
According to Manitoba 511, several key routes were impacted:
- Highway 5: Sections from PR357 to Ste. Rose du Lac, and from Ste. Rose du Lac to Ochre River, were closed due to the weather.
- Highway 75: The major route from Morris to the U.S. border was temporarily closed but has since been reopened as of early Friday morning.
Extensive School Closures and Cancellations
The extreme cold and poor visibility led several school divisions to suspend operations on Friday to ensure the safety of students and staff. All schools within the Red River Valley, Turtle Mountain, Prairie Rose, and Fort La Bosse school divisions remained closed.
The French-language school board, Division Scolaire Franco-Manitobaine (DSFM), also announced closures for several institutions, including:
- Saint-Jean-Baptiste
- Jours de Plaine (Laurier)
- École Aurèle-Lemoine (St. Laurent)
- École Saint-Lazare
Additionally, while some schools remained open, bus services were cancelled for École Ste. Agathe, École Réal-Bérard (St. Pierre), École Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, and École Gilbert-Rosset.
