Squalls Continue to Affect Ontario’s Snowbelts with Flurries in the GTA
Ontario is facing ongoing snow squalls, impacting travel and bringing flurries to the Greater Toronto Area
Ontario, GTA, Snow Squalls, Lake Huron, Georgian Bay
Ontario: A stubborn low-pressure system is hanging around, bringing flurries and lake-effect snow to southern and northern Ontario. This will stick around through Wednesday.
With the Great Lakes mostly ice-free, the warmer water is causing some instability. This keeps the low-pressure systems from moving much, which is why we’re seeing these conditions.
So, if you’re out and about, expect some slippery roads this week. The GTA might see lighter snow, but areas near Lake Huron and Georgian Bay could get hit with 20-30 cm of snow by Wednesday.
Snow squall warnings are in place, so drivers should be ready for sudden changes in visibility and road conditions. Environment and Climate Change Canada advises to slow down if you can’t see well.
On Tuesday, the colder air will keep the lake-effect snow going, spilling into Wednesday. As the winds shift, we might see some flurries in the GTA and London from the snow squalls off Lake Huron.
Areas like Meaford to Wasaga Beach will see squalls from Georgian Bay, while Grand Bend to Saugeen Shores will be affected by Lake Huron squalls. The worst conditions will be in the snowbelts and northern Ontario, making travel tricky.
These snow squalls can cause wild weather changes, going from clear skies to heavy snow in just a few kilometers. So, be careful out there!
Winds will be gusty too, reaching up to 50 km/h on Tuesday before calming down in the evening. Expect gusts of 20-40 km/h on Wednesday.
Looking ahead, the lake-effect snow will start to ease on Wednesday, but a weak system will bring light snow and gusty winds on Thursday, with a dusting of up to 3 cm expected in the GTA.
We’ll see a brief warm-up on Friday and Saturday, hitting around 0°C. But don’t get too comfy; a cold front is coming in Saturday night, bringing frigid Arctic air for Sunday and much of next week.
Next week could be the coldest we’ve seen this season, with highs in the minus double digits and wind chills dipping into the minus 20s and even minus 30s.
As we move into February, we might see milder air trying to push north, but it’s too soon to tell if that will lead to an early spring or messy storms.