On this day five years ago, Manitoba faced one of the most intense storms in its history—the Thanksgiving Blizzard of 2019.
What started as a typical autumn day quickly turned into a weather nightmare that Manitobans will never forget.
Dubbed *the perfect storm* by meteorologists, the blizzard began on October 10, 2019, and continued to pummel the province over the next several days.
Winnipeg’s Mayor at the time, Brian Bowman, aware of a big storm that was about to hit Winnipeg, addressed the public near noon on Oct. 10.
He was encouraging workers to go home early, clearing the roads of non-essential travel to make way for emergency crews that would be needed during the evening. Many decided to take the snow day, heading home early before the pending storm.
As a larger lunch-rush headed home, Winnipeggers began watching the city hurry to a standstill.
Over 70 cm of snow and winds over 100 km/h
The storm brought with it a relentless combination of heavy, wet snow and powerful winds that created the perfect conditions for disaster.
Snowfall totals reached staggering levels in southern Manitoba, with some areas reporting over 70 cm of snow. The storm’s strength not only caused chaos on the roads but also led to significant damage to infrastructure across the province.
As the storm raged on, communities across southern Manitoba were buried under mountains of snow. Totals for the region included:
- Carberry: 74 cm
- Morden: 64 cm
- Strathclair: 61 cm
- Treherne: 60 cm
- Miami: 50 cm
- Holland: 58 cm
- McCreary: 45 cm
- Dunrea: 40 cm
- Winnipeg: 34 cm
- Wasagaming: 33 cm
- Douglas: 31 cm
- Dauphin, Rosser: 30 cm
- Brandon: 29 cm
Strong winds were widespread across Southern Manitoba, with most stations reporting gusts in the 70 to 85 km/h range on the Friday or Friday night. The following peak wind gusts were received by Environment Canada stations and Manitoba Agriculture reporting sites:
- Eden: 101 km/h
- Oakpoint: 100 km/h
- Portage Southport: 94 km/h
- Clearwater: 92 km/h
- Sinclair, Waskada: 89 km/h
- Baldur, Snowflake, Windygates: 87 km/h
- Lakeland, Ste. Rose: 85 km/h
- Winnipeg Airport: 80 km/h
Over 100,000 lost power
The heavy snowfall and high winds caused trees to snap and power lines to fall, leaving hundreds of thousands of Manitobans in the dark.
More than 100,000 Manitoba Hydro customers experienced power outages on Friday, and even days later, 50,000 people were still without power.
It became one of the largest power outages in the utility’s history.
As Manitoba Hydro crews worked around the clock, it quickly became apparent that the damage was far worse than initially thought.
Power poles, transformers, and lines were downed in rural and urban areas alike, adding to the challenge of restoring power. Entire communities were cut off, with roads made impassable by the sheer amount of snow and fallen trees.
Hydro described the blizzard as a “historic event,” saying that rebuilding damaged infrastructure would take time.
For many Manitobans, the storm became a test of resilience. Families gathered around fireplaces and huddled in candlelight as crews worked tirelessly to restore electricity. Schools and businesses were forced to close as the province tried to dig out from under the blanket of snow. Some towns saw record-breaking totals, like Brandon, which was hit with over 60 cm of snow. [(Read more)](https://chvnradio.com/articles/staggering-snowfall-totals-throghout-southern-manitoba).
Despite the destruction, Manitobans came together in ways that showed their true grit. Neighbours helped each other clear driveways, farmers used heavy equipment to free stranded vehicles, and local businesses provided warm food and shelter to those in need. Volunteer efforts surged, with people checking in on the elderly and vulnerable who were left without heat.
Five years later, the memories of the Thanksgiving Blizzard of 2019 remain vivid for those who lived through it. It was a storm that showed just how quickly life can be upended—but also how communities can unite in times of crisis. As Manitoba marks the anniversary of the storm, we remember not only the damage but the strength of spirit that carried the province through one of its toughest tests.