Manitoba forecasters say cold spring increasing the risk of flooding in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG – Manitoba flood officials say the cold spring is increasing the risk of flooding in Winnipeg.

The Red River is cresting downstream from the capital, but ice hasn’t melted enough to open the floodway which diverts water around the city.

Emergency Measures Minister Steve Ashton says that heightens the risk of ice jams.

He says the ice is still a metre thick in some parts.

Ashton says that means a handful of low-lying homes may need ring dikes and other flood protection.

Other than the prolonged cold, Ashton says officials aren’t expecting any significant precipitation to exacerbate flooding.