Southern Ontario is set for a classic winter weekend with cold temps and some snow flurries
Southern Ontario: This week has been pretty chilly, and even if you love winter, it’s been tough to enjoy the outdoors. But don’t worry, some relief is on the way!
As we roll into the weekend, temperatures are bouncing back to more typical mid-winter levels. This means it’ll be a lot more pleasant for your favorite outdoor winter activities.
Of course, travel can be tricky this time of year. Will lake-effect snow mess with your plans this weekend? Let’s dive into the weekend weather details.
On Friday, expect fair weather across most of southern Ontario, with a mix of sun and clouds. It’ll still be a bit colder than usual, but with less wind, it should feel more comfortable outside.
There might be some lingering lake-effect flurries in the snowbelt areas near Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, but they shouldn’t cause major travel issues.
Friday night will be partly cloudy and chilly, but it’ll be pretty much what we expect for late January.
On Saturday, clouds will mix with some sunshine, and it’ll be a couple of degrees warmer. However, a gusty southwest wind will make it feel colder than it actually is.
We could see some passing flurries, especially in areas east and northeast of Georgian Bay, but don’t expect much accumulation.
As Saturday evening rolls in, flurries will become more common, but most places will only get a light dusting. Still, some lake-effect snow bands could bring more significant snowfall in certain areas.
On Sunday, lake-effect snow squalls will continue, particularly between Barrie and Bracebridge, which could affect travel on Highway 11 and 400.
Visibility might be poor due to blowing snow, and some areas could see 5 to 10 cm of new snow, with localized spots getting even more.
By Sunday afternoon, those snow bands should start to ease up, making travel conditions better as the day goes on.
Elsewhere in southern Ontario, expect a mix of clouds and sunshine with temperatures around seasonal averages.
Looking ahead to next week, we’ll see near seasonal temperatures at the start. Another blast of Arctic air is expected mid-week, but it shouldn’t be as harsh as what we just experienced. Just keep that shovel handy!
Will the cold stick around into February? And will we dodge a major snowstorm this winter? Check back on January 31 for our February forecast!
