Prepare for potentially dangerous road conditions if you have holiday weekend travel plans in southern Ontario as multiple rounds of snow impacts the region.
Going somewhere? Check out the current highway conditions before heading out!
Snow squall watches and warnings, along with winter weather travel advisories are in effect. Snowfall totals will vary, depending on locale, but a range of 5-25 cm is expected through the holiday weekend.
Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop.
Blustery winds this weekend
Blustery winds will dominate the region through the weekend. Chilly temperatures pouring in from northern Ontario will keep conditions firmly below freezing across southern Ontario through the weekend.
Winds will pick up across the region heading into Saturday, with widespread gusts of 40-70 km/h expected. These blustery winds will further reduce visibility in snow squalls.
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Snowfall totals and road conditions will vary over short distances in and around snow squalls. Accumulations as high as 25 cm are possible downwind from Lake Huron and Georgian Bay through Sunday, while communities farther from the lakes may only see a dusting at best.
Saturday night into Sunday
Late Saturday evening and the overnight period will see bursts of heavy snow develop across the traditional snowbelts as a low tracks across northeastern Ontario.
On Sunday morning, localized whiteouts are forecast east of Georgian Bay as a frontal squalls kick up along a cold front associated with the low-pressure system aiming towards Quebec.
The southwest winds also align with Highway 401 east of Cobourg, producing bands of heavy snow through Prince Edward County and Kingston, making for locally hazardous conditions that will begin in the pre-dawn hours Sunday morning.
No significant snowfall is forecast for the Golden Horsehoe, but winds will still be gusting to 60 km/h. By Sunday afternoon, a couple of potent snow squalls are migrating off Georgian Bay, creating tough travel conditions.
Total snowfall amounts will be a gift to local ski resorts. The weather on Family Day will be the perfect time to hit up the slopes with some resorts looking at in excess of 15 cm of snowfall the next couple of days.
Folks in and around the Greater Toronto Area could see a dusting from this event, with less than 5 cm for the northern GTA and less than 2 cm from Toronto proper south.
Conditions can change rapidly over short distances around snow squalls, with calm conditions giving way to heavy snow and dangerously low visibility in a matter of metres. Drivers are urged to plan ahead, and to be prepared to adapt to the rapidly changing conditions.
Monday
Monday will feature the calmest weather and best driving conditions of the weekend as our winds slacken off and the skies begin to clear out. Don’t forget the sunglasses before you head out Monday –– the sun will be mighty bright reflecting off that freshly fallen snow.
Temperatures will remain consistently below freezing through the long weekend, which is favourable both for ski resorts to keep the snow that’s fallen and for making additional snow to coat the slopes.
The next chance of active weather will be late next Wednesday, but it’ll be mild enough for rain across parts of southern Ontario with snow farther north.
The weekend snow is certainly excellent news for Ontario ski resorts that have been hurting for wintry weather so far this season. We’ve seen persistent stretches of above-seasonal temperatures and paltry snow totals thanks in part to El Niño dominating this season’s patterns.
Stay with The Weather Network for the latest on your forecast through the holiday weekend.