Steep temperature drop could bring Ontario its first snowflakes
A blast of cold air could bring a rain-snow mix to parts of southern Ontario by Friday night
An incoming fall storm is bringing rain and strong winds to Ontario on Friday, followed by a sharp drop in temperatures that could deliver the season’s first lake-effect snowflakes to parts of southern Ontario.
Temperatures will fall sharply behind the departing system, with the coldest conditions expected overnight Friday into Saturday.
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Rain eases as cold air moves in
Rain will gradually ease across much of Ontario through Friday, although scattered showers are expected to linger. Rainfall totals could reach 20-30 mm in parts of eastern Ontario, with locally higher amounts possible.
Behind the storm, strong northerly winds will usher in much colder air, with gusts near 50 km/h. The winds will also generate higher-than-normal waves along the Great Lakes shorelines.
Temperatures will drop rapidly overnight, with some inland areas potentially reaching or falling below the freezing mark.
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First snowflakes possible Friday night
The sharp contrast between the incoming cold air and the relatively warm Great Lakes will fuel lake-effect rain downwind of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
By Friday night, some of that precipitation could change to a rain-snow mix in the snowbelts and parts of Algonquin.
Snow is expected to be limited mainly to higher elevations as freezing levels drop to about 800 metres.
Areas at lower elevations are more likely to see a rain-snow mix rather than snow.
Saturday will bring a further taste of fall, with daytime highs expected to remain in the single digits. Temperatures should gradually return to seasonal levels by the start of the workweek.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Ontario