Dauphin, Manitoba, is in for a mixed bag of weather this week, starting with a chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday before a stretch of sunny and warm days takes over. Environment Canada is calling for a 60 percent chance of showers early this evening on August 5, with the risk of a thunderstorm and wind gusts up to 50 km/h.
The high on Wednesday is expected to reach 24°C, but the wet and windy conditions call for some caution. The provincial government recommends securing any loose outdoor items like patio furniture or decorations. If you hear thunder, remember the 30-30 rule: count the seconds between a lightning flash and the thunderclap. If it’s less than 30 seconds, lightning is close enough to be dangerous—seek shelter right away and wait at least 30 minutes after the last strike before heading back outside.
As of mid-afternoon Wednesday, the Dauphin Airport was already seeing cloudy skies, a temperature of 18.8°C, and westerly winds gusting to 39 km/h. The active weather comes during a summer that has already seen several severe thunderstorm events across southern Manitoba.
Once Wednesday’s system moves through, the forecast turns quiet and pleasant. From Friday through Sunday, Environment Canada expects sunny skies and daytime highs between 23°C and 24°C, with Monday bringing a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 23°C—just a touch below the normal high of 25°C for early August. It’s great news for anyone hoping to get outside this weekend. Sunrise is around 6:11 a.m. and sunset isn’t until 9:20 p.m., giving plenty of daylight to enjoy.
While the skies clear, water levels on nearby Dauphin Lake remain elevated. The Hydrologic Forecast Centre recorded the lake at 858.73 feet on August 4, about 0.73 feet above flood stage. The summer target level is 854.8 feet. The Mossy River Dam helps regulate outflows from the 521-square-kilometre lake, but the higher water is something lakeside property owners and boaters will want to keep in mind.
