Climate and Geography

Winkler is located on the beaches of prehistoric glacial Lake Agassiz. The Pembina Escarpment located a few kilometers west formed the shores of the prehistoric glacial lake. Winkler lies just east of a secondary beach formed thousands of years ago by a temporary stalling in the draining of the lake. The Emerado Beach, as this gentle rise in elevation is called, divides the rich soils of the area between coarser textured loamy sand to the west and finer textured clays further east. The sandy soils are suitable for irrigation and produce the area's potato, corn and bean crops. The finer textured soils produce sugar beets, canola, beans, and corn in addition to small grains.

Climate
The climate of South Central Manitoba is classic continental in nature with dry cold winters and hot, often dry summers. The average January temperature is -15.6 C while July temperatures average 20 C. The average annual precipitation is 416 mm with most falling in the spring and summer months. The frost-free period is 125 days and the Winkler area receives the most heat units for crop production in the province. Winkler receives 119.7cm of snow annually.