Ontario Braces for Messy Storms as Unseasonably Warm Weather Lingers
Messy storms hit Ontario with no constant cold in sight
Though a dangerously cold blast of arctic air swept through southern Ontario last week, it was gone just as quickly as it came, and much milder temperatures were sweeping back into the region this week. Some areas may even have a two-digit brush on Tuesday.
MUST SEE: Three things that made Eastern Canada’s cold snap so bizarre
But with a big temperature swing comes choppy skies, and that bout of milder air will bring widespread messy precipitation this week.
A weak system moving in on Tuesday brings the risk of rain, freezing rain and periods of snow to the north.
Freezing rain will be mainly confined to the higher elevations of the escarpment but is expected to be less than 2mm. Therefore, the risk of slippery conditions is pretty low.
Baron – Ontario Ice Cream – Feb 7
Very intermittent freezing rain threatens up to Highway 401 near London and Kitchener and in central and eastern Ontario.
For the rest of southern Ontario, however, the bulk of the precipitation will remain as rain showers, but again it will remain very light with most of the day remaining dry.
Further north in the Nickel Belt and Cottage Country, between 5 and 10 inches of snow is possible, particularly in areas that absorb some additional moisture from Lake Huron. Amounts could exceed 10 cm in some areas north of Georgian Bay.
Baron – Snow in Ontario – February 7th
Strong winds will also accompany the system, with gusts of 50 to 70 km/h common throughout southern Ontario and even stronger gusts of 70 to 80+ km/h on the coastal cliffs.
A Texas low for Thursday
A Texas low on Thursday will bring a warmer, wetter current out of the US deep south. With so much warm air in the air, there is a risk of freezing rain in the higher elevations of southern Ontario.
Temperatures will rise into the mid-teens in Ohio, but it remains to be seen how far north the warm front will travel. Double-digit temperatures are possible in the Windsor area in the warm sector of the storm.
ThursdayTemp
Double-digit temperatures are possible in the Windsor region in the warm sector of the storm, while places like Toronto could very well get stuck in a cool current off the lake.
Forecasters are also closely watching a system that could cover the region with some snow Friday night and into Saturday, although it’s also possible that the system stays too far south to affect the region.
RELATED: Mild winter pattern brings more rain than snow in parts of southern Ontario
The next week will be characterized by very mild temperatures, intermittently unstable and risking more rain. There is potential for a more wintry pattern in the last ten days of the month, but without the persistent cold.
Catch up on the latest weather updates across Ontario this week.
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