DON’T MISS: Freezing weather is inevitable. Here’s what you need to prepare
This week: Multiple snow shots with enhanced arctic air
We’ve officially hit mid-November and the early winter-like weather will be hard to miss in southern Ontario this week. On Tuesday, easterly winds blowing over Lake Ontario are forecast to develop a blizzard that, at times, will target parts of the GTA with short bursts of snow, slippery roads and reduced visibility. The storm may meander around coastal communities through Tuesday targeting the Hamilton area and western and southern parts of the Golden Horseshoe first before sliding north toward Toronto. SEE ALSO: Toronto sets new record for last date below 0°C Snow accumulations vary greatly in how heavily the precipitation develops, how long it is locked in one location, and also the fact that roads versus grass surfaces can accumulate snow at different rates. This won’t be for the snow either as another round will start with an incoming low pressure system. This will bring more extensive accumulations to the area beginning Tuesday and lasting through early Wednesday. It will be the first widespread, wet snow threat for southern Ontario this season, and it will be the first snowfall for Montreal, Que., later Wednesday. Typical of mid-November events, temperatures will be marginal with accumulations heavily influenced by elevation and distance from the Great Lakes. Between 5-10cm of snow is likely for areas further away from the lakes, with less than 5cm likely closer to the lakeshores as mixing or even rain is possible at times. In areas where the lake-effect blizzard zone is forming, amounts are likely to exceed the forecast and be locally higher by up to 15 cm.
WARNING: Break out the shovels, Ontario, snow is piling up on the way
Meanwhile, widespread below-season conditions are expected to prevail this week and beyond, with another strengthening picture of arctic air and temperatures more typical of early December at times. Temperatures on Friday and Saturday will be more typical of early to mid-December. Stormy conditions will close out the week along with another round of lake effect snow in the snow belts. Lake snow will continue through the weekend and into early next week. This will be a multi-day high profile event that will cause travel issues for the hardest hit areas east of Georgia Bay and Lake Huron. The hardest hit areas could be the Buffalo and Watertown areas, with the potential for snow totals to exceed 50 cm. RELATED: 70,000 fans, two soccer teams to battle historic snow event We will be keeping a close eye on the southern parts of the Niagara region as the heavy snowstorm could drift north into this area at times.
WARNING: These snow showers gave southern Ontario its first weekend of winter
Be sure to check back for the latest weather updates across Ontario.
