My final blog, and there is weather to talk about

John's weather journal for Friday, Jan. 5

A freezing drizzle advisory has been in effect for most of the day today. We have warm air aloft and cold air at the surface which is leading the band of snow already entering the western edge of the province. Highways will be slick and snow covered later tonight and into Saturday morning from Portage la Prairie east into Ontario. 

This system is the one snow lovers have been waiting for. I think the Red River Valley will have at least 5 cm on the ground by early Saturday with another 1-2 cm on Saturday morning. The snow will continue to move east as the low does the same. On the Ontario side of the border, the amounts are roughly the same but it'll continue to snow most of Saturday. 

Sunday and Monday bring seasonal temperatures for daytime highs and more light snow on Monday. The next significant snowfall I see is set for Wednesday and there is potential for another 5-10 cm then. 

What follows that system is an Arctic outbreak. By Thursday and Friday next week, we are looking at morning lows in the mid-to-low –20s and daytime highs around –21 to –22 C. 

Well, that's a wrap!! This is my last blog as I get ready for my last show here at CBC Manitoba. I invite you all to read the wonderful story my good friend Darren Bernhardt wrote for the CBC Manitoba website. It was posted this morning. There is even video within the story that you may get a kick out of. 

Thank you for reading this. It has been an honour to serve this province with weather information to help keep you safe and prepared for any kind of weather that comes our way. 

Wind forecast:

• Friday: N @ 20 km/h overnight.
• Saturday: NW @ 20-30 in the morning. NW @ 15-20 km/h in the afternoon.
• Sunday: Light wind in the morning. SE @ 10-20 km/h in the afternoon. 
• Monday: NW @ 10 km/h in the morning. NW @ 10-15 km/h in the afternoon.