Brace for hazardous travel in eastern Ontario as hefty snowfall en route
What will likely be Ottawa's heaviest snowfall of the season thus far will impede travel a fair amount into Monday, so brace for significant delays if you're on the roads
Eastern, and parts of central, Ontario will be the collision ground of a stateside low and Gulf of Mexico moisture as we conclude the weekend and begin the work week.
Heavy precipitation is very likely as the storm creeps into the region Sunday afternoon, peaking in intensity overnight into Monday. As things stand now, parts of eastern Ontario including the Ottawa area stand to see 15-20+ cm of snow through Monday.
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The Sunday evening commute will be particularly hazardous around the Ottawa area. Impacts are forecast to spill into the work week, so the Monday morning commute will be anything but smooth sailing with this amount of snowfall forecast.
Various weather alerts are in place for cottage country and eastern Ontario, including winter storm warnings for the National Capital Region. Some areas could see freezing rain and ice pellets at times on Sunday.
Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Motorists should expect hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travel plans accordingly.
People should also prepare for the potential for power outages with the heavier, wet snow and freezing rain.
Snow starts Sunday and lingers into Monday
A low-pressure system developing over the Midwestern U.S. will scrape along the eastern edge of the Great Lakes through the day on Sunday, bringing rain and snow to portions of southern Ontario to end the first weekend of December.
Periods of wet snow will begin Sunday afternoon across cottage country and eastern Ontario, wth a risk for freezing rain even as far north as Ottawa, but primarily along Highway 7.
Previous systems this season have delivered hours of freezing rain, so it’s once again possible.
The greatest risk for ice accretion from freezing rain will exist from Bancroft to Cornwall, where slick surfaces are likely and ice will coat branches and vehicles.
Subfreezing air blowing in from the northeast will keep this an all-snow event for much of eastern Ontario, where snowfall rates will climb as high as 2-3 cm per hour through Sunday evening.
The snow line will sink back toward the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) behind the system late Sunday, with wintry precipitation pushing into Orangeville and Vaughan.
Snowfall amounts of less than 3 cm are expected for most of the GTA, with a conversational dusting at most along the lakeshore.
Precipitation switches over to snow for most regions, as snowfall rates begin to ease throughout the overnight and Monday morning.
Snow slowly winds down across Ottawa on Monday, where close to 20 cm of snowfall will have likely fallen. Periods of light snow is expected to continue across eastern Ontario throughout the day.
Temperatures are forecast to hover close to the freezing mark, so the snow will be a heavier, wet variety that increases the risk of power outages.
A blanket of wet snow measuring more than 15 cm deep will make for treacherous driving, especially on lesser-travelled side roads. The wet snow could also lead to airport delays and possible cancellations as crews will have to work to clear the sticky snow off aircraft for a safe departure.
Plan ahead for potential travel issues on the road Sunday and through Monday, and stay up-to-date with the potential for delays and cancellations throughout the region.
Be sure to check back for the latest on this snowfall event in eastern Ontario.
