Another 10-15+ cm of snow is ahead for southern Ontario
Winter is back and in full force across much of Ontario with two rounds of snow dropping at least 10 cm by Saturday. Be sure to plan ahead and brace for slow downs on the roads
After a brief taste of spring-like weather, winter will show it's still fully in charge as rounds of snow hit Ontario to end this week.
Two systems will contribute to more accumulating snow, with some areas in line to pick up 10-15+ cm through Saturday.
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While no excessive amounts were expected with the first system on Thursday, roads across southern Ontario are slippery from this week's melting snowpack as a result of the milder temperatures. Combined with falling snow, it could make for some dicey travel at times throughout the day.
The higher snow totals will come with the second system on Friday, with a very slow evening commute expected for much of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Significant snowfall will spread across parts of northern Ontario first, including Thunder Bay, where 20-25 cm is likely.
Stay up-to-date on your local weather alerts, and be sure to check the latest highway conditions before heading out on the roads.
Thursday: Roads quickly deteriorate with morning snow across southern Ontario
A weak low pressure system tracked in late-day Wednesday across southwestern Ontario, reaching the GTA with snow by early Thursday morning.
Those along the Lake Ontario shoreline will likely see rain or freezing drizzle at times, including Oakville, Hamilton, and downtown Toronto.
Meanwhile, north of the QEW, wet snow is forecast through the first half of the day, with 3-5 cm possible in places like Brampton, Newmarket, Mississauga, Milton, and Waterloo.
A winter weather travel advisory was issued first thing Thursday, warning of poor visibility in bands of heavy snow. The advisory dropped before the lunch hour across the south.
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The same system will continue to move east however, affecting the 401 to Kingston and Ottawa through the evening hours. Travel will likely be jeopardized and visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.
Friday and Saturday: Heavier snow totals with next bigger system
Another blast of snow will bring up to 10 cm of snow to southern Ontario and the GTA on Friday.
This system actually originated as a low over the Pacific Ocean, where it travelled into Yukon and is reorganizing as it prepares to dive south towards the Great Lakes.
Before the system arrives in southern Ontario on Friday afternoon, it will leave a large swath of snow over parts of northwestern Ontario. Between 20-25 cm of snow is forecast for the Thunder Bay area, which will impact travel within the city as well as along portions of the Trans-Canada Highway. Snowfall warnings are in effect.
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The snow will reach the GTA by late Friday afternoon, just in time to impact the evening commute.
Heavy snowfall rates of 2 cm/h could pick up during the afternoon, so it's suggested to leave work early to avoid heavy impacts on the roads.
While there is still some uncertainty about the exact track of this system, forecast models suggest a swath of 5-15 cm of snow is likely from the Huron shores into the GTA and across eastern Ontario. Between 10-15 cm of snow is possible for the Ottawa area.
We could also see some rain and mixing within the snow at times, especially for the London and Niagara region.
Be sure to check back on Friday, Feb. 28, for The Weather Network's official March outlook.