Not Again!! Ontario Braces for a Cold and Wet Midweek

It’s a special gift from our neighbors to the south, the United States, who are currently experiencing a major winter weather blast. A large area of low pressure, developed over the Mississippi Valley, is now expected to move slowly across southern and eastern Ontario by late Wednesday.

The Weather Network’s forecast indicates that this storm system will cause “significant weather impacts” in Ontario on Tuesday, March 10, and Wednesday, March 11. Residents can expect up to 15 centimeters of snow, along with prolonged freezing rain, ice pellets, and heavy rain across most of Ontario this week.

There is a potential for multi-day power outages, broken tree branches, icy roads, flooding, and ice jams due to the combination of snow, ice, rain, and freezing rain.

Meteorologists caution that heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected across southern Ontario on Wednesday morning. By the afternoon, colder air will move in, turning the rain into a wintry mix or snow by evening.

Weather specialists predict that southern Ontario could receive between 20 and 40 millimeters of rain from this storm. In the eastern regions of Ontario, including Ottawa, freezing rain of up to 20 millimeters is also anticipated.

In areas such as Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Sudbury, North Bay, and other locations east of Lake Superior are expected to receive between 5 and 15 centimeters of snow by Thursday. However, local snowfall totals may exceed these forecasts.

In contrast, less than 5 centimeters of snow is forecast for cottage country and regions near Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, including Barrie, Goderich, and London.

Flood Threat:

Southern Ontario can expect an ongoing flood threat to persist into the week ahead as temperatures rise once again.

GTA Forecast, Overview:

GTA will experience overcast skies throughout the day, with temperatures ranging from a low of -1 °C at night to a high of 5°C during the day. Light precipitation is expected, with approximately 0.1 cm of snow and 1.1 mm of rain possible. Winds will be moderate, averaging around 21 km/h, and humidity levels will be typical for March, around 77%.

GTA Weather, Details:

Meteorologists predict that Tuesday morning may see mid to heavy fog, increasing cloudiness, and mild temperatures, culminating in showers. Periods of heavy rain will soak the Greater Toronto Area throughout the day.

A sharp temperature gradient is expected across the region. Easterly winds off the lake will keep the GTA in single digits, even while temperatures near 20°C in Windsor. A brief, sharp temperature increase is possible until late Wednesday, ahead of the cold front’s arrival.

Temperatures will quickly drop below freezing across southern Ontario after the cold front passes, leading to slick roads and slippery sidewalks. The threat of freezing rain will diminish in eastern Ontario after the front moves through.

Wind gusts behind the cold front are expected to reach 40-60 km/h through Thursday, making the chilly weather feel even colder.

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