Manitoba Infrastructure’s Hydrologic Forecast Centre is advising people to stay off the Red River in the Winnipeg area as high water from the United States makes its way north, raising river levels between eight to 10 feet, possibly weakening and breaking the ice. The level is expected to peak within four to six days. The rising Red River will influence the level of Assiniboine River in the area where the two rivers meet and possibly upstream.
Recent warm weather extended into the northern U.S. melting surface snow and raising water levels in the Red River Basin.
Due to changing weather patterns, ice conditions on southern rivers and lakes may be hazardous. It is strongly advised that people be careful if venturing out onto what appears to be frozen rivers and lakes due to thin ice conditions.
Rivers can be especially hazardous as ice thickness can vary in the same area of a river. Ice tends to be weaker toward the middle of the river, although there may be exceptions. Areas of fast-flowing water tend to have thin ice which may not be visible.
