Manitoba storm damages properties, leaves thousands without power

Southern and western Manitoba were hit by a powerful storm overnight Monday, bringing intense wind gusts, heavy rainfall, and thunderstorms. Environment and Climate Change Canada reported that the low-pressure system caused significant precipitation, with the community of Boissevain receiving 152 millimeters of rain by Tuesday morning. Five other communities in the province recorded over 100 mm of rainfall.

Winnipeg experienced less rain, with 27 mm, but strong winds caused considerable damage, particularly in the Waverly West neighborhood of Whyte Ridge. Residents reported widespread tree damage, with the City of Winnipeg receiving numerous requests for assistance with downed trees and blocked storm drains. "It literally sounded like a hurricane at the front door," said Whyte Ridge resident Doug Bows, describing the intensity of the storm and the sound of fences blowing down.

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It literally sounded like a hurricane at the front door.

Meteorologists noted "very strong winds" that caused localized damage, though they expressed surprise that the airport did not record severe gusts. The city of Morden reported wind speeds as high as 106 km/h, while Manitou, Clearwater, Snowflake, Lac Du Bonnet, Pilot Mound, and Gardenton experienced winds of 80 km/h or faster.

The storm's impact extended to power outages, leaving more than 14,000 Manitoba Hydro customers without electricity on Tuesday morning. The utility provider is actively working to restore power to all affected customers in the coming days. The City of Winnipeg also reported an increase in calls to its fire and paramedic services, primarily due to downed power lines.

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We’re kind of surprised we didn’t see severe wind gusts at the airport because it’s usually highly sensitive to that.