Chilly air engulfs Ontario as the countdown to spring begins

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The vernal equinox will arrive on Tuesday to find Ontarians wearing their winter coats.

A pattern change in progress over the Great Lakes swept away our spring-like comfort and replaced it with cooler temperatures and several opportunities for snow.

Bands of heavy snow may lead to travel impacts across southern Ontario at times over the next couple of days.

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Monday: Colder air kicks up bands of snow

Scattered snow showers that moved across southern Ontario on Sunday will give way to more widespread bursts of snow by Monday as colder air settles into the region.

Lake-effect bands are likely to develop southeast of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. We’ll also see some snow in eastern Ontario.

Drivers could encounter brief periods of reduced visibility through the early morning hours as snow showers move through cottage country and nearby areas.

Chilly air will continue pushing into southern Ontario on northeasterly winds that may gust 30-60 km/h.

Tuesday: Resurgence of snow expected

Another low-pressure system developing across the northern Great Lakes will fuel a renewed risk for bands of lake-effect snow across the traditional snow belts, especially around Owen Sound.

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Bursts of flurries could spill across the rest of southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area on Tuesday, leading to reduced visibility and potentially slick roads throughout the region.

We’re looking at widespread snowfall totals of 5-10 cm downwind of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay by Wednesday morning. Communities around Kincardine and Parry Sound are on track for snowfall totals of 15-20 cm, with locally higher totals possible.

Folks across the rest of southern Ontario may see a dusting of snow, with the lowest totals—and potentially no accumulation at all—around Toronto proper and in the southwest toward Windsor.

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Locally higher totals are possible on the Niagara Peninsula and around Kingston, where we may see a touch of lake enhancement at times.

Looking ahead, forecasters see an unsettled week as several disturbances look to track across the Great Lakes. While temperatures will remain around seasonal, that’s still cold enough to support the threat for wintry precipitation.

Stay with The Weather Network for the latest on your forecast across Ontario.

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