Next 7 departures
- SatOct 3
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–11°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Cloudy10°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Cloudy11°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Cloudy10°C Dryden11 AM CDT Cloudy10°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Cloudy10°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Cloudy10°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Cloudy9°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Rain11°C - SunOct 4
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 6–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Sunny6°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Mostly sunny7°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Light rain10°C Dryden11 AM CDT Partly sunny10°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Mostly sunny11°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Light rain showers12°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Mostly sunny12°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Mostly sunny15°C - MonOct 5
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 4–10°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Partly sunny4°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Partly sunny7°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Partly sunny8°C Dryden11 AM CDT Mostly sunny9°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Mostly sunny9°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Partly sunny10°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Partly sunny9°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Partly sunny10°C - TueOct 6
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–15°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Partly sunny9°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Cloudy12°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Cloudy13°C Dryden11 AM CDT Cloudy13°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Mostly sunny14°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Cloudy15°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Cloudy15°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Cloudy15°C - WedOct 7
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 9–14°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Sunny9°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Sunny10°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Sunny12°C Dryden11 AM CDT Sunny12°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Light rain showers13°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Rain showers14°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Rain showers13°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Light rain showers14°C - ThuOct 8
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 7–12°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Partly sunny7°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Sunny8°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Sunny10°C Dryden11 AM CDT Sunny10°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Mostly sunny11°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Mostly sunny11°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Mostly sunny10°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Cloudy12°C - FriOct 9
ClearNo significant weather expected. Temperatures 8–11°C along the way.
Along the way
Checkpoint · arrival Weather · temperature Winnipeg7 AM CDT Cloudy9°C Manitoba–Ontario line8:45 AM CDT Cloudy10°C Vermilion Bay10:30 AM CDT Cloudy8°C Dryden11 AM CDT Light rain8°C Ignace12:15 PM CDT Cloudy9°C Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace2:15 PM EDT Cloudy10°C Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay3:15 PM EDT Cloudy10°C Thunder Bay4:15 PM EDT Cloudy11°C
The worst conditions expected at any checkpoint, timed to when you would reach it driving without stops. Levels use Road Travel’s driving-risk scale.
The route, stop by stop
Checkpoints in order, with driving time from Winnipeg (no stops) and elevation. The forecast above is timed to these.
- Winnipeg, MBStart 228 melevation
- Manitoba–Ontario lineState line · Km 159 · 1 h 44 min 375 melevation
- Vermilion Bay, ONKm 307 · 3 h 28 min 383 melevation
- Dryden, ONKm 352 · 4 h 2 min 375 melevation
- Ignace, ONKm 457 · 5 h 20 min 450 melevation
- Hwy 17 southeast of Ignace, ONKm 536 · 6 h 15 min 478 melevation
- Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay, ONKm 615 · 7 h 11 min 511 melevation
- Thunder Bay, ONKm 700 · 8 h 13 min 188 melevation
Typical weather by month
Average daily highs and lows, and days with 2.5 cm (an inch) or more of snow, at Winnipeg, Vermilion Bay and Thunder Bay.
| Month | Winnipeg 239 m | Vermilion Bay Rawson Lake station · 358 m | Thunder Bay 199 m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High / low °C | Snow days | High / low °C | Snow days | High / low °C | |
| Jan | -12° / -22° | 3.1 | -11° / -20° | 4.0 | -9° / -21° |
| Feb | -8° / -19° | 1.3 | -7° / -18° | 2.8 | -4° / -18° |
| Mar | -1° / -12° | 1.9 | 0° / -10° | 2.3 | 1° / -11° |
| Apr | 10° / -2° | 1.1 | 8° / -2° | 1.2 | 9° / -4° |
| May | 18° / 4° | 0.2 | 16° / 5° | 0.3 | 16° / 2° |
| Jun | 23° / 11° | 0 | 22° / 11° | 0 | 21° / 8° |
| Jul | 25° / 13° | 0 | 24° / 14° | 0 | 24° / 11° |
| Aug | 25° / 12° | 0 | 23° / 13° | 0 | 24° / 10° |
| Sep | 19° / 6° | 0 | 17° / 8° | 0 | 19° / 5° |
| Oct | 10° / -1° | 0.2 | 8° / 1° | 1.3 | 10° / -1° |
| Nov | 0° / -9° | 2.5 | -1° / -7° | 3.1 | 2° / -7° |
| Dec | -8° / -17° | 2.7 | -8° / -16° | 3.6 | -4° / -15° |
1991–2020 averages computed from NOAA NCEI daily station records (GHCN-Daily): WINNIPEG RICHARDSON INT'L A (CAN05023222, 239 m); RAWSON LAKE (CAN06036904, 358 m); THUNDER BAY A (CAN06048261, 199 m). Snow days are days with at least 2.5 cm (1 inch) of new snow. “—” means the station does not publish that normal.
Road conditions
Closures and chain rules change by the hour, so we link to the official reports for Manitoba and Ontario rather than repeat them.
- Manitoba · Manitoba 511Manitoba 511 road conditions
- Ontario · Ontario 511Ontario 511 road conditions
Check the official forecast from Environment Canada and each road report before you leave.
Get alerts timed to where you’ll be when you get there
Road Travel plans the drive from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay with the forecast at every stretch for the hour you’ll reach it, then warns you about weather ahead while you drive.
Questions about this drive
How long is the drive from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay?
700 km (435 miles), about 8 hours of driving without stops, by way of Hwy 1 and Hwy 17. Fuel, food and rest stops add to that.
What is the highest point on the drive?
Hwy 17 northwest of Thunder Bay, at 511 m (1,676 ft). It comes at km 615, about 7 h 11 min of driving after you leave Winnipeg.
How cold is Thunder Bay in January?
Thunder Bay averages a high of -9°C and a low of -21°C in January (1991–2020 averages).