Get Your Shovels, Southern Ontario! The First Major Snowstorm of the Season Is on the Way This Weekend
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Confidence is growing in a strong system set to sweep across Southern Ontario starting Friday and persisting throughout the weekend. In contrast to previous weather systems, this one looks likely to keep most of the region on the snowy side, leading to widespread and substantial snowfall.
Although there's always a chance for last-minute changes, it's nearly certain that parts of Southern Ontario are in for a heavy snowfall this weekend. The onset is expected sometime Friday afternoon, continuing into Saturday.
We're still finalizing the exact details, but a more detailed preliminary forecast will be available later today.
Currently, we anticipate general snowfall totals in the range of 20-30cm across a broad area of Southern Ontario, extending from the Southwest through the Greater Toronto Area and into Central/Eastern Ontario.
Almost everyone in these regions should brace for significant snowfall. In some localities, particularly around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, totals could surpass 30cm, boosted by lake-enhanced snowfall.
The combination of intense snow and potentially strong, damaging wind gusts of 70-90km/h could lead to complete whiteouts. We can't discount the possibility of blizzard conditions, especially in Southwestern Ontario.
The main area of uncertainty lies along the Lake Ontario shoreline and in the Niagara region. Some forecasts suggest a brief switch to rain overnight on Friday, followed by a return to snow on Saturday.
This could result in lower snowfall amounts near the shoreline, heavily dependent on the storm's exact path. The latest data shows a trend towards a westward path, which could introduce warmer air into the region.
Another aspect we're watching closely is the potential for significant lake effect snow following the storm, starting Sunday and possibly extending into the week. This could lead to remarkable snowfall accumulations in typical snowbelt areas such as Grey-Bruce, Simcoe County, Muskoka, and Parry Sound.
By week's end, some of these areas might be measuring the snow in FEET (1 ft = 30cm).
In summary, the upcoming week promises to be a busy one, but we're prepared and will keep you updated with in-depth information around the clock. Stay tuned!
