A major weather shake-up is on the horizon for Ontario, and you might want to dig those heavy parkas out of storage sooner rather than late.
After a unseasonably mild stretch this past weekend, the GTA’s January thaw is coming to a grinding halt this week. According to The Weather Network, a dramatic shift in the atmosphere is set to replace those warmer temperatures with multiple rounds of biting Arctic air, proving that winter in Ontario is far from over.
A clipper system will sweep through the province from Tuesday into Wednesday, and while southern regions might see a messy cocktail of snow, rain, and mixed precipitation, northern and central Ontario are bracing for a more classic winter scene, with anywhere from 5-15 cm of fresh powder expected by mid-week.
In the GTA, commuters should keep a close eye on the skies. Wintry mixes are expected to impact the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning drives, so you’ll want to give yourself plenty of extra time to navigate the slush.
The real whiplash however will be the temperature plummet, dropping of between 10 – 15 degrees across most of the province. By the time Wednesday night comes, the cold air will have settled into southern Ontario, bringing daytime highs into the minus double digits.
With blustery northwesterly winds picking up, the wind chill is expected to make it feel closer to the -20s. These biting winds are also likely to trigger lake-effect snow squalls through the end of the work week, which could lead to blowing snow and reduced visibility on the roads.
While we might see a very brief rebound in temperatures as we head into the weekend, don’t get too comfortable. Forecasters are already seeing signs of another surge of Arctic air that looks to dominate the final weeks of January. Keep warm, Toronto!