Residents in The Pas, Manitoba, may have a good chance to see this year’s “Snow Moon” because forecasts show skies clearing in time for the peak of the lunar cycle — though Environment Canada’s Jan. 28 forecast still shows cloudy conditions for Friday and Saturday and a clear overnight period centered on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.
The moon reaches full on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026 (about 4:09 p.m. local time), and timeanddate.com notes it will appear nearly full and very bright on the nights immediately before the peak. Local visibility and sky-forecasting tools can help people decide when to head out; readers should check timeanddate.com and local weather services for hyper-local moonrise/moonset and cloud forecasts. Moonrise in The Pas on Jan. 31 will be in the late afternoon/early evening (around 5 p.m. local) — check local calculators for the exact minute.
For the best views, head away from town lights. The Saskatchewan River Bridge offers a dramatic foreground for photographs, Clearwater Lake Provincial Park (listed by Travel Manitoba as a northern destination) provides wide-open sky, and open fields along Big Eddy Road give unobstructed horizons for a low-rising moon.
Be aware that the same weather pattern bringing clearer skies is tied to an Arctic air mass. Environment Canada’s forecast and Health Canada guidance warn of dangerous wind chills and a risk of frostbite — Environment Canada’s observations on Jan. 28 showed wind chill values around -31°C and repeated “risk of frostbite” advisories. At wind chills near -30°C, exposed skin can freeze in minutes (field guidance notes under 10 minutes in those conditions). Residents are advised to limit time outside, dress in layered, wind-resistant clothing, or view the moon from a heated vehicle or nearby warm structure.
