Messy Winter Weather Ahead This Week for Southern Ontario; Snow & Freezing Rain Risk Starting Late Tuesday
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Parts of Southern Ontario are on the brink of experiencing some wintry weather this week as a system is set to sweep into the region on Tuesday. In line with this time of the year, the system will usher in a mix of wintry precipitation, including freezing rain, ice pellets, and wet snow, starting Tuesday afternoon and lingering into Wednesday morning.
As the system approaches, rain is anticipated for Southwestern Ontario and along the Lake Erie shoreline early Tuesday. However, colder temperatures northeastward, across the Dundalk Highlands and around Lake Simcoe, may lead to the development of mixed precipitation starting Tuesday afternoon.
Current indications point to a potential mix of wet snow, ice pellets, and freezing rain to the northwest of the GTA (Kitchener, Guelph, Orangeville, York Region, Barrie, etc.) during Tuesday's evening commute. Be prepared for potential travel delays due to the inclement weather.
For most regions, the impact is expected to be limited thanks to a swift transition to rain that is anticipated by Tuesday evening. However, higher elevations in the Dundalk Highlands, including Orangeville, Fergus, and Shelburne, could experience more prolonged freezing rain as temperatures struggle to rise above freezing. Regions south of Lake Simcoe are expected to switch over to rain by midnight.
Central and Eastern Ontario are likely to experience higher impacts, with the wintry mix beginning in the evening and lingering overnight into Wednesday morning. While some uncertainty exists regarding the extent of the mixed precipitation, some regions, especially in the Ottawa Valley and along the Quebec border, could see minor snowfall accumulation of up to 5-10cm.
The snow is anticipated to transition into a mix of ice pellets and freezing rain by pre-dawn on Wednesday, possibly prompting school bus cancellations in parts of Central and Eastern Ontario depending on the timing and amount of freezing rain.
All precipitation is expected to subside by Wednesday afternoon as the system exits the region. We are closely reviewing the latest data and will provide a more detailed forecast for this potentially messy weather soon. Stay tuned for updates!
