Northern Manitoba residents are desperately hoping for some cold weather, because milder than normal temperatures are leaving the opening of northern ice roads in doubt.Many people in remote northern communities use ice roads every winter to get groceries and other essential supplies transported by truck from urban centres like Winnipeg.
Some also drive on the roads to buy their own groceries, which they say would cost twice as much at home.
"Winter roads are a necessity with the high costs of living up north, and we all depend on the winter roads," said Irma Harper of St. Theresa Point, Man., who was buying supplies in Winnipeg on Saturday.
The seasonal roads, which are built on frozen lakes as well as land, take some time to prepare, and in a typical year are open from mid-January until March.
But above-normal temperatures across much of Manitoba so far this winter have northern residents nervous that this year's ice road season could be cut short, or the roads may not be built at all.