Arctic air onslaught coming to a Canadian city near you

Toronto: This January, it feels like the Arctic is wide open, sending icy air all the way down to the Gulf of Mexico and even Cuba. What a way to kick off 2025!

But hang tight, because for the next week, many folks in Canada will get a breather. Milder Pacific air is rolling in, bringing some warmer temps. Enjoy it while you can, though, because the Arctic has other plans.

There’s a big weather pattern brewing that’s going to push that cold air south. Believe it or not, this shift starts way over in Japan.

A trough is forming in the western Pacific, and as it moves across the ocean, it’s going to boost a ridge over Alaska. This is all thanks to a strong jet stream slicing through the Pacific.

This setup is pushing the East Pacific Oscillation (EPO) into negative territory, which is a solid sign that colder air is on its way down across North America.

Once that high-pressure ridge settles in over Alaska, things are going to get interesting.

Right now, the polar vortex is swirling over Nunavut. But as it stretches out in the coming week, it’s going to send its icy breath across the Prairies, Hudson Bay, and into Ontario and Quebec.

With the density of that Arctic air and the changing jet stream, we could see some seriously cold temps blanket almost all of Canada, even if it’s just for a short time.

And guess what? This cold air isn’t going to stop at the Canadian border.

This Arctic blast is set to push deep into the U.S., ramping up winter weather risks in the southern states over the next couple of weeks.

In just six days, the ice cover on the Great Lakes has shot up by an incredible 500 percent, showing just how strong that frigid air is.

If this Arctic air mass hits as expected, we might see the Great Lakes ice coverage get close to what’s normal for this time of year.

Toronto just had its warmest year on record in 2024, so this cold snap is quite the change!