DRI:
Drought Research Initiative

About Winnipeg

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  • Winnipeg (a.k.a. "Winterpeg", "The Peg") is the capital as well as the largest city of Manitoba, with a population of 706,900 (2005 Census Metropolitan Area).
  • The city is located near the geographic centre of North America, situated within a flood plain at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers.
  • Although characterized by an extreme continental climate and famous for its long cold and snowy winters, Winnipeg receives an abundance of sunshine throughout the year (>2300 hours of sun annually). The daily average temperature for February is -13.6°C (average minimum is -18.7°C and average maximum is -8.5°C); the average snowfall accumulation for the month of February is 14.2 cm.
  • The name Winnipeg is a transcription of the western Cree word wi-nipe-k, meaning "muddy waters".
  • Former home of the Winnipeg Jets (now Phoenix Coyotes) of the National Hockey League.
  • Some notables born in Winnipeg: Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings (The Guess Who), Terry Fox and Louis Riel.

    More information can be found on the City of Winnipeg website, or Wikipedia.