
Powerful low to bring Ontario a one-two punch of winds and snow
Ontario's next formidable weather-maker could have considerable ramifications for travel and power as intense wind gusts and snow will create trouble for many locales
A particularly gnarly, windy setup is taking shape in Ontario as we kick off the final days of January.
A cold front associated with a deep area of lower pressure over Hudson Bay will pack an extra punch as it sweeps across Ontario and Quebec Monday and Tuesday. With the barometric pressure forecast to fall below 970 hPa, it has caught the eye of forecasters.
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As a result, wind gusts exceeding 90 km/h are possible across the snowbelt regions and up to 100 km/h across the northern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Along with snowfall, that will make travel rather difficult, and quite dangerous in spots with the heaviest snowfall rates. We can't rule out localized blizzard conditions across Muskoka.
Stay up-to-date with the latest weather alerts in your area, and be sure to monitor road conditions throughout the region as this hazardous weather arrives.
This week:
By Sunday evening, we’ll see periods of snow build across northwestern Ontario along the leading edge of our developing low-pressure system. A winter storm watch is in effect for Wawa, Cochrane, Kapuskasing, and regions east of Lake Superior.
A very deep centre of low pressure is expected to swirl over Hudson Bay on Monday.

By Monday morning, pockets of heavy, blowing snow with reduced visibility will encompass a wide swath of northern Ontario. These foul conditions will sag into northeastern Ontario through Monday afternoon.
A cold front extending off the system could pack a wallop as it sweeps across Ontario and Quebec.
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Localized, brief blizzard conditions are possible under regions of the heaviest snowfall across Muskoka. Sustained winds Monday will climb to near 60 km/h along Georgian Bay, and up to 70 km/h across southern Prince Edward County.
Other regions of strong wind gusts include Hamilton, Dunnville, Guelph, Halton Hills, Kingston, Mount Forest, Niagara Falls, St. Catharines and Owen Sound.

The dangerous combination of heavy snowfall and strong winds could catch commuters and drivers off guard throughout the region. Some locations will likely experience blizzard conditions with snowfall rates of 1-2 cm per hour.
Our cold front will push into southern Ontario early Tuesday with the risk for gusty winds and bursts of locally heavy snowfall. Commuters around the Greater Toronto Area should pay close attention to changing conditions Tuesday morning.

Temperatures will fall well into the minus teens across the region. For folks around Georgian Bay, temperatures of 0°C at midnight Tuesday will tumble to below -15°C in about six hours.
The strong pressure gradient from the centre of low pressure, along with the cold front itself, will likely drive wind gusts to more than 90 km/h across the snowbelts and up to 100 km/h across the northern shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Elsewhere, 60-80 km/h wind gusts are most likely with this system. Localized power outages are possible.
Ice shoves: Another hazard we’ll need to watch is the potential for ice shoves.

Given the ample ice coverage on Lake Erie, there’s a particular concern that strong winds and waves will push sheets of ice inland. Warmer temperatures on Monday can temporarily weaken the ice, making it more prone to movement.
Ice shoves can move surprisingly fast, so folks should exercise extra caution along shoreline areas as the ice sheets may climb over each other and push inland, creating towering piles of ice.