The battle of the seasons will be in full force this week, with winter weather in the northern parts of Ontario, while the southern regions prevail with milder spring temperatures and heavy rainfall. A classic spring storm can bring 30+ cm of snow and 30+ mm of rain until Friday, depending on where you are. Rainfall warnings also cover southern Quebec, with the threat of waterlogging and local flooding. Regardless of the amount of rainfall you receive, travel will be affected in the areas most affected in the next two days. More about what to expect with the spring storm and what lies beyond it, below. DON’T MISS: Deprive of warmth: Patience will pay off for Canadians in the cold
SNOW WARNINGS WITH SIGNIFICANT SETS IN THE NORTH
A low-pressure system will push across northwestern Ontario, with the effects lasting through Thursday morning across the region. Snow is expected, which may be dense at times. Special weather reports and snow warnings are valid. Temperatures are expected to be close to the point of frost in some areas, which may allow rain and snow to mix at intervals. Areas east of Lake Superior, including the Nickel Belt, will see heavy rainfall due to milder temperatures, with a possible 20-40 mm by Friday. The deep accumulation of snow in the Nickel Zone area should absorb much of the rainfall, but, when combined with icy ground, could lead to lakes and local flooding problems for some areas. Dangerous trips due to possible rapid accumulation of snow. If the rain mixes with the snow it can lead to very slippery road conditions. Drivers are advised to be careful. Communities along the west shores of Lake Superior see the heaviest snowfall, with 20-40cm likely by Thursday. Thunder Bay will hardly lose the heaviest piles, with an expected 10-15 cm. Otherwise, sets of 5-15 cm will make a slow route along the Trans-Canada Highway. The snowfall will gradually subside by Thursday afternoon.
RAIN FALLS IN SOUTH Ontario and Quebec
For those in southern Ontario and Quebec, milder temperatures will accompany this system, which means that the rainfall will fall as rain from Wednesday afternoon. The rain will reach eastern Ontario on Wednesday night, where it will continue until Thursday afternoon. Extensive 10-20 mm of rainfall is possible throughout southern Ontario, with higher total rainfall in the eastern parts of the province and southern Quebec, where rainfall will continue until Thursday. Ottawa and surrounding communities could see 40-50 mm of rain by Thursday. “Heavy rains can cause sudden flooding and water build-up on roads,” Environment and Climate Change Canada said in a rain warning issued for southern Quebec. “Possible local floods in low altitude areas.” The South Stream system will allow the daytime highs to push teens across much of southern and eastern Ontario by the end of the week. Ottawa could reach 14 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Toronto’s high forecast for Thursday reaches 13 degrees Celsius, which is a few points above the seasonal for the date.
LOOKING FORWARD: NEXT WEEK COMES TO WARMER WEATHER
Partly sunny weather is expected in southern parts this weekend, with a risk of rain. Colder weather is expected across the greater Toronto area (GTA) on Saturday and will then become seasonal on Sunday. The spring amusement park train will climb to the top of the hill next week, as a high-pressure ridge is expected to be built over the eastern half of Canada. We are likely to see a series of seasonal high temperatures early next week. Temperatures will easily push senior teens to many locations in southern Ontario, with the potential for highs in the 1920s in some places. Cold water temperatures will keep temperatures low for people near lakes, and an approaching system could also affect how hot things get in the end. Do not get too stuck, though – the amusement park train will slide down the hill once again and meteorologists expect a cooler pattern for the second half of April. Stay tuned to The Weather Network for your latest forecast in Ontario and Quebec.
