Residents in Swan River, Manitoba, should prepare for slippery roads and sidewalks as an unseasonable warm-up brings rain showers on the night of Sunday, February 8, 2026, followed by a rapid return to freezing temperatures. According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), there is a 60 percent chance of rain showers with a high near +1°C – roughly 12–16°C warmer than typical February highs in the Swan River area.
The main concern for the community is a flash freeze expected early Monday morning, Feb. 9. As temperatures fall back below freezing, standing water and rain-saturated snow on local streets and on highways such as Highway 10 and Highway 83 can quickly turn into thin, hard-to-see black ice. Local reporting in the Winnipeg Sun has warned that rain followed by a rapid temperature drop can make morning commutes hazardous.
Public safety remains a priority following a school bus rollover south of Mafeking on Jan. 13, 2026. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Manitoba RCMP) confirmed the rollover and reported multiple injuries; the RCMP release did not identify a definitive cause, though local accounts and media coverage linked icy road conditions to the crash and investigations are ongoing. Officials are urging drivers to exercise extra caution during this upcoming weather change.
Manitoba Infrastructure crews will be out to sand and salt treated routes, but rain can sometimes wash those materials away before they take full effect. Environment and Climate Change Canada senior climatologist Dave Phillips, quoted by CBC News, has noted that this winter has featured abrupt swings from deep cold to warm thaws — a pattern that increases the risk of freeze-thaw hazards such as flash icing.
