Potent spring storm will bring icy dangers across Ontario this weekend
Significant, widespread freezing rain will increase travel dangers and power outage risks across the province over the weekend
A long-duration ice storm is building up for the weekend across Ontario as sharply contrasting air masses collide over the province, leading to a prime setup for nasty weather.
The boundary between the two air masses will feature significant freezing rain, while south of the boundary will feature soggy rains, and north of the boundary will feature a hefty dose of spring snow.
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The icy boundary won't be staying in one place for too long, though, constantly moving north and south throughout the weekend, leading to changeable and messy weather across the province. It will only take a half-degree change to decide whether your weekend fate is a rainy or snowy one.
The star of the show, however, will be the freezing rain.
Significant ice buildup will likely lead to some major impacts as roadways become dangerously slippery and power lines become bogged down by the heavy ice. Folks should expect significant impacts to travel over the weekend, as well as prepare for localized power outages.
There is some uncertainty as to where the greatest ice and snow impacts will be in Ontario due to the storm's oscillating nature.
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The messy weather will begin Friday evening and will last over the entire weekend. Be sure to check highway conditions and local weather alerts before heading out if necessary.
Freeze or no freeze: GTA and Hamilton see a changeable mix-up
Folks across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and Hamilton will likely see this storm kick off with a round of freezing rain on Friday night but will see the icy conditions change to rain by Saturday.
This pattern will continue over Sunday and Monday, with the days starting off with rounds of freezing rain before daytime temperatures take over, transitioning the icy weather back into rain.
The lake shores will help to moderate the ice a bit, so folks closer to the lakes are less likely to see much freezing rain.
On the other hand, folks north of the GTA and along the escarpment are at a higher risk of seeing prolonged freezing rain, with 5-10+ hours of icy weather in store before the system exits the region on Monday.
The rest of southern Ontario is in for mostly (if not all) rain.
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Impactful ice, snowstorm bears down on eastern Ontario
The stormy event will kick off in eastern Ontario with a burst of snow that will last into Saturday, until the snow transitions into prolonged freezing rain and ice pellets.
Folks will get a brief break from the icy mess on Sunday morning, but another round of freezing rain and ice pellets is forecast to move back in by Sunday afternoon, this time lasting into Monday.
We're looking at the chance for the ice to last 10-20+ hours, especially in cottage country, Algonquin, Bancroft, and surrounding regions. Here, we are most likely to see the biggest impacts on travel and power.
The biggest question we are looking at is what kind of storm Ottawa is in for. The nation's capital is currently on the edge between a major ice storm and a major snowstorm. Either way, we're likely to see a high-impact event in the area over the weekend. A slight northward shift in the system, however, could lead to a complete bust.
Meanwhile, northeastern Ontario is in for a spring snowstorm, with a wide swath of 20-30 cm of snow on tap as the region sits firmly on the northern edge of the storm.
Stay with The Weather Network for more forecast information and updates on your weather across Ontario.