Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for much of southern Manitoba as a system is expected to dump plenty of moisture on the region early this week.

"A mix of rain and snow, with potentially significant amounts, is on tap for the Red River Valley eastward to the Ontario border," the statement says.

Forecasters say that right now it's difficult to say for certain how much precipitation will arrive, but that it will impact the province on Monday and Tuesday.

"As the system moves eastward, precipitation will begin as rain but will change over to snow from west to east. The timing of this rain-to-snow changeover is highly uncertain, so rainfall and snowfall amounts are also highly uncertain."

Current indications are that areas near and east of Winnipeg will receive 5-10 mm of rain and 10-15 cm of snow, while points west of the city will receive lesser amounts of both.

Precipitation is expected to move out of the region Tuesday evening, Environment Canada says. Spring officially arrives on Sunday at 10:33 a.m. CDT. The equinox marks the precise moment the sun's rays shine directly on the Earth's equator.

Sunshine and a high of 5 degrees is forecasted for Winnipeg on Sunday.

A back lane in the city shows big ruts with melting ice, high snow, and deep water.One listener sent in this photo saying ruts are almost one foot deep, and that they've had to tow out two neighbours.

While warmer weather has been melting snow, the system could prove difficult for residential neighbourhoods.

Many back lanes were left with a thick base of snow before the spring melt began and people have complained of impassable ruts with cars getting hung up on high snow.

Retired meteorologist Rob Paola says that while Winnipeg was on track to have one of the snowiest winters on record, things had slowed through the month of March. As of March 14 he has recorded 166.6cm of snow. "That's fifth-most through mid-March, but we'll need another 18 cm to finish as a top 10 snowy winter for the season," he writes on Twitter.

Depending on what happens, this low-pressure system could be what pushes us over the edge.

Current weather statements

Areas in grey are under a special weather statement.