Snowy start to March Break in Ontario, but soaring temperatures come next
A swath of snow will kick off March Break across Ontario on Friday, but everything changes next week as temperatures are set to soar.
Friday could mark one of the busiest travel days at Toronto's Pearson airport since the start of the pandemic, as restrictions continue to ease and many students across the province begin their March Break. Those with travel plans may face some delays however, as a poorly timed swath of snow also kicks off the break on Friday. The heaviest totals are expected across eastern Ontario, with only a few centimetres likely across much of the south, including the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). But it doesn't take much to slow conditions on the road, so it's best to leave yourself extra time when heading out. Beyond this late season snow will be a significant warm-up for the middle of next week. See what to expect, below.
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FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY: SNOW PICKS UP ACROSS ONTARIO, HEAVIEST AMOUNTS CONFINED TO THE EAST
A major winter storm that will span much of Eastern Canada this weekend threatens to disrupt and delay March Break travel plans by road and air.
An initial system will track south of Ontario on Friday, bringing widespread light snow across the region, with just a couple of centimetres expected during the day. The main system, however, will quickly engulf that preceding system and bring heavier snowfall amounts Friday night into Saturday. Any untreated surfaces will become icy as temperatures fall well below freezing through Friday overnight.
This potent low-pressure system will track well south of the border, following along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard toward Quebec and the Maritimes.
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The heaviest swath of snow looks to be more focused in parts of eastern Ontario and across southern Quebec, east of the St. Lawrence River. Across the east, the snow looks to be at its heaviest through the day on Saturday before departing the area by Sunday morning.
By the time it all wraps up, the Greater Toronto Area can expect about 5 cm of snow through Saturday, with between 5-10 cm likely in the Niagara region. The city of Ottawa can expect about 5-10 cm, while 10-15 cm is possible from Kingston to Cornwall.
Along with the snow, strong winds will develop through Saturday afternoon, creating potential whiteout conditions, reduced visibility and difficult travel through that time.
The system will depart on Saturday and leave behind a cold and raw day for southern Ontario. Gusty northwesterly winds of 50-70 km/h will stir up some lake-effect snow behind the system overnight Saturday and into Sunday along the Huron and Georgian Bay shores.
A narrow lake-effect band could also reach into western parts of the GTA, with the potential for a quick few centimetres of snow.
Sunday will continue to be cold with some additional flurries likely, but most of the snow will melt on contact with the pavement.
BIG CHANGES AHEAD: TEMPERATURES SOAR INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK
The cold pattern then looks to break down much faster than initially expected, with milder weather attempting to surge north into the region through the second half of March Break. There's the potential for some late April-like weather, but areas along the lakeshore also risk staying much cooler.
Above-seasonal temperatures, possibly well into the teens, are expected to last through the weekend, but this will likely be a false start to spring as we will continue to be tested by the flip-flopping weather.
Be sure to check back for the latest weather updates across Ontario.