Winter took a bit of a snooze this past weekend in southern Ontario, with mild temperatures, heavy rainfall and gusty winds that lingered into the start of this week.
However, things will turn around quickly for the region as we end the year and kick off 2025. A major pattern change will unfold, bringing a return to winter for January’s arrival.
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A Colorado low is expected to bring a mix of rain and wet snow starting on Tuesday. Areas north of the 401 corridor, and locales with higher terrain, could see 5-10+cm of snow. Brace for tricky travel as the roads will be slippery.
Tuesday and into the weekend:
Polar air heading east from the Prairies will sweep into the Great Lakes region by New Year’s Eve, sending temperatures down from the lofty heights they reached over the weekend.
Flurries help ring in 2025 on Wednesday as cold air dominates this week into the weekend.
We could see some mixed precipitation occur around Lake Ontario’s shorelines after Wednesday morning’s snow burst. Some folks may even see rain showers through the afternoon.
Southern Ontario will clear up Wednesday evening, with lake-effect snow continuing for the snowbelt regions. Snow will begin Wednesday morning in the Ottawa region, and become heavy through the day. By then end of the day, folks in the Ottawa region could see 5-10 cm of snow.
Expect winter travel on New Year’s Day in many areas, so brace for slower commutes and slippery road conditions. Plan ahead if you’re driving.
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A cold polar airmass will move into Ontario and stick around through the beginning of January, fuelling multi-day lake effect snow.
The lake-effect flurries will affect the snowbelt regions on Thursday. Difficult travel can be expected along the 400 highway in the north, around Barrie and Orillia.
The snow will stick around through Friday, meandering south in Goderich, London and Woodstock.
The snow squalls will continue into the weekend, however there is some uncertainty with where the bands will fall.
All in all, significant lake-effect snow will roll into southern Ontario, brining the potential of 20-40+ cm of snow to the affected regions. The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) will likely not see the lake-effect snowfall.
Colder-than-normal temperatures are expected to dominate through at least mid-January.
Stay tuned to The Weather Network for more forecast updates across Ontario.