Sorry folks, winter is here to stay — at least according to Ontario's spring forecast.

According to The Weather Network (TWN), residents of the province will face a lingering winter this year, with warm-ups expected to get off to a sluggish start for most areas.

Long-term forecasts provided by the Farmers Almanac support these predictions, with March slated to be dominated by wintry weather and only a brief round of pleasant weather expected in April.

"March and even parts of April will feature several bouts of late winter weather, with periods of colder than normal temperatures and messy winter storms at times," Doug Gilham, TWN senior meteorologist, explains.

"However, we are watching the potential for a strong ending to the season with warmer and drier weather," the meteorologist adds.

May and early June will be residents' best chance for warmth, with things expected to turn mostly fair and pleasant. However, scattered showers are also on the horizon.

"An active storm track is expected across southern Ontario through at least April," Gilham adds. "This will bring above-normal precipitation to southern Ontario and parts of northern Ontario for the season."

On the bright side, spring flooding will be less likely in 2023, especially in southern Ontario, with TWN reporting that the province's false warm-up period melted much of the snow and ice.

The accumulation in northern Ontario was more significant but still less than last year. Although, if it snows a lot in March, it could cause a higher risk of spring flooding later in the season.

So, don't let your guard down just yet.

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.