First Snowy Blast of the Year Could Bring Up to 5-10cm of Snow to Parts of Ontario on Wednesday
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Many people across Southern Ontario welcomed the New Year amid snowy conditions, as an overperforming system brought up to 5-10cm of snow locally. The heaviest snowfall occurred in the Golden Horseshoe and Kitchener areas, where heavy snow bands persisted throughout New Year’s Eve.
The snow on New Year’s Eve might just be a precursor to what lies ahead, with more snow forecasted for the first week of 2024!
A disorganized system is poised to move across Ontario from late Tuesday evening. This system, in isolation, would likely only result in a light dusting of snow. However, the combination of dropping temperatures and the ice-free Great Lakes will likely amplify snowfall in the traditional snowbelt areas thanks to some lake enhancement.
Starting around midnight, light to moderate snowfall is expected, continuing overnight into Wednesday morning. It will begin in Northern Ontario and gradually spread southward by early Wednesday. Heavier snow bands are anticipated near the eastern shores of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron, primarily impacting the Grey-Bruce area, along with Muskoka and Parry Sound.
Further from the lakes, snow will be more sporadic, as the system's main moisture concentration will be near Northeastern Ontario along the Quebec border and more dependent on enhancement from the lakes. Southern Ontario should anticipate intermittent snow throughout Wednesday, while in Northern Ontario, it's expected to ease off by Wednesday afternoon.
Lake effect snowfall will persist off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay into the afternoon and evening. Overnight, these lake effect bands will likely shift southwards with the changing wind direction, potentially bringing a few hours of heavy snow to areas south and southeast of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay in the early hours of Thursday. However, these bands should weaken by sunrise.
By late Thursday morning, the snowfall across all regions is expected to cease as the system driving the lake-effect snow departs.
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As previously mentioned, the heaviest snow accumulation is anticipated in the typical snowbelt areas around Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. In locales such as Goderich, Kincardine, Owen Sound, Collingwood, Parry Sound, Bracebridge, Huntsville, and Algonquin Park, snowfall totals are likely to range from 5 to 10cm.
In such lake-influenced events, it's important to note that total accumulations will vary considerably based on location, with some areas potentially receiving over 10cm.
Elsewhere in Southern Ontario, less than 5cm of snow is expected, with only trace amounts for Deep Southwestern Ontario, the Golden Horseshoe, and Eastern Ontario.
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In Northern Ontario, the heaviest snowfall is forecasted for Northeastern Ontario near the Quebec border, affecting Chapleau, Timmins, Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Timmins, and Kirkland Land, with expected snowfall of 5 to 10cm by midday Wednesday.
The rest of Northeastern Ontario will receive a few centimeters of fresh snow, while minimal accumulation is projected for Northwestern Ontario.
