‘Very unhealthy': climatologist David Phillips on Canada's summer air quality
Environment Canada climatologist David Phillips explains how wildfires are impacting Canada's air quality this summer.
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CTV News
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A map showing the location of a tornado warning in Manitoba on Aug. 6, 2025. (CTV News Winnipeg) A tornado warning has been issued for several Manitoba communities. Environment and Climate Change Canada issued the warning around 5 p.m. in the R.M. of St. Clements, and the R.M. of Springfield, which includes Birds Hill Provincial Park. 'Environment Canada meteorologists are tracking a severe thunderstorm that is possibly producing a tornado. Damaging winds, large hail and locally intense rainfall are also possible,' the warning reads. The storm was detected near Balmoral and is heading east at 30 km/h. ECCC says people should take cover immediately if threatening weather approaches, or if you see a funnel cloud, swirling debris near the ground, flying debris or hear a roaring sound. 'Go indoors to a room on the lowest floor, away from outside walls and windows, such as a basement, bathroom, stairwell or interior closet,' ECCC said. 'Leave mobile homes, vehicles, tents, trailers and other temporary or free-standing shelter, and move to a strong building if you can.' Other regions in Manitoba, including Winnipeg, are currently under a severe thunderstorm watch. severe thunderstorm watch Areas in Manitoba under severe thunderstorm watches or warnings on August 6, 2025.
CTV News
18 minutes ago
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Colleen Bready's Forecast: Rain showers return to Manitoba
Colleen Bready has your current conditions and updated weather forecast for August 6, 2025. Between wildfires and drought conditions, some welcomed showers will move across most of Manitoba on Wednesday. On the other hand, the low pressure disturbances slowly crossing the province also come with the risk of thunderstorms—and unwanted lightning. A thunderstorm already passed over Winnipeg Wednesday morning. More showers or another thunderstorm this afternoon or evening can't be entirely ruled out. Across all of southern Manitoba, there is a moderate chance of afternoon showers with the risk of thunderstorms. Otherwise, many areas will see a mix of sun and cloud with highs in the mid- to upper 20s. Expand Autoplay 1 of 3 The Sunset The Sun setting over the city through the smoke, next to the Fort Garry Hotel (Photo by Mark Pirgalin) Otter falls Otter falls (Photo by Kelly Hyra) An active storm cloud at Netley Creek, MB. An active storm cloud at Netley Creek, MB. (Photo by Shawn Dagg) Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says there is the possibility funnel clouds could form Wednesday afternoon from Swan River to the southern edge of Lake Manitoba. This comes after the weather agency reported a likely tornado Tuesday evening near Belleview, as thunderstorms moved over the southwest. Conditions are favourable for a much-needed soaking over northern regions Wednesday, including wildfire areas. Flin Flon could see 10-15 mm of showers that will end overnight. Showers in other areas, including Thompson, are also expected to taper off overnight. Meanwhile, an air quality warning continues for northern and eastern Manitoba.
Winnipeg Free Press
42 minutes ago
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Holy smoke! Winnipeg sets another unwanted record
Winnipeg has blazed its way to its smokiest year on record — and there are still nearly three months remaining in the wildfire season. The city had recorded 306 smoke hours as of Tuesday, compared with 304 in 1961. 'We're not even through the wildfire season, and we're already the smokiest,' Environment and Climate Change Canada scientist Christy Climenhaga said. 'The smoke this summer has been pretty relentless. We've had fires since the beginning of the season. It has been a very active smoke year in Manitoba.' The record comes days after Winnipeg recorded its smokiest month ever, with 189 hours in July. That was 26 more than the 163 in May 1961. Environment Canada meteorologist Crawford Luke said 2025 is the smokiest Winnipeg has been in 72 years of record keeping. 'We have been counting smoke hours from April 1 through Oct. 31 to try to reflect smoke from the wildfire seasons of the past,' Luke said Wednesday. 'A smoke hour is defined as an hourly observation where the weather observer observed the visibility to be six miles (9.65 kilometres) or less, with smoke as the visibility reduction. These observations are taken at the top of the hour at Winnipeg International Airport.' Environment Canada began recording smoke hours in 1953, when it recorded 66. There have been 13 years where the smoke hours were recorded as zero — the latest was 2020. While, for the most part, the number of hours remained in the low double digits for decades, they have been much higher than that in four of the past five years, including 2025. MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg recorded its smokiest month ever, with 189 smoke hours in July. The 262 hours in 2021 was the highest count since 1961, and the first time since then that it was a three-digit number. In 2023, 125 hours were recorded, and 108 were recorded in 2024. There was only one hour of smoke in 2022, when Winnipeg set a record with its wettest year, with 739.9 millimetres of rain and snow recorded up to Oct. 24. Kevin RollasonReporter Kevin Rollason is a general assignment reporter at the Free Press. He graduated from Western University with a Masters of Journalism in 1985 and worked at the Winnipeg Sun until 1988, when he joined the Free Press. He has served as the Free Press's city hall and law courts reporter and has won several awards, including a National Newspaper Award. Read more about Kevin. Every piece of reporting Kevin produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
