Intensifying snow threatens Monday commute, holiday travels in Ontario

Ontario: A clipper is rolling into southern Ontario on Monday, and it might just be our last shot at a white Christmas this year.

Weather experts are keeping an eye on this Alberta clipper as it moves across the Great Lakes, bringing snow to areas that are cold enough for it to stick.

While the snow has been plentiful in the usual snowbelts, many folks in the Greater Toronto Area and southwestern Ontario have barely seen any snow this season.

So, what’s the scoop? This Alberta clipper is expected to bring widespread snowfall throughout southern Ontario, with some areas possibly getting up to 20 cm by Tuesday morning.

Snowfall warnings are already in place from Barrie to Parry Sound, stretching all the way to Cornwall.

Expect the snow to kick off by Monday afternoon, spreading across the region. It’ll ramp up in intensity as the evening rolls in, and some parts of eastern Ontario might still be seeing snow on Tuesday morning.

Most areas, including the northern and eastern parts of the Greater Toronto Area, can expect about 5-10 cm of snow, while eastern Ontario and the snow belts could see totals hit 20 cm. So, be ready for some slick roads during the evening commute.

Along the Lake Erie shore and parts of the southwest, a mix of rain and snow could lower those snowfall totals a bit.

Now, what does this mean for Christmas? An ‘official’ white Christmas is when there’s at least 2 cm of snow on the ground at 7:00 a.m. on Christmas Day.

With little sunshine on Christmas Eve and temperatures staying below freezing, that snowpack should hold up nicely from the GTA northward as we head into the big day.

After Christmas, it looks like the cold snap will finally ease up, making way for warmer temperatures to wrap up 2024 and welcome the new year.