Ontario's Weather Forecast Calls For 'Tropical Moisture' That Could Bring Up To 60 cm Of Snow
It won't be widepread though 🙏.
Drivers navigating an Ontario winter.
If you've ever wondered why southern parts of the province are densely populated while those up north remain sparse — Ontario's weather forecast is here to spell it out for you.
According to The Weather Network (TWN), a winter storm carrying "tropical moisture" is forecasted to sweep through Ontario on Friday, causing disruptive snowfall in the province's northern regions and a possibility of up to 60 centimetres of snow landing north of Lake Superior.
As a result, Environment Canada (EC) has issued winter storm warnings for several areas, including Thunder Bay, Greater Sudbury, Sault Ste. Marie and Timmins.
"Widespread snow, heavy at times, and strong northeasterly winds continue to affect the area," EC warned in a statement. "Snow will quickly accumulate and visibility may be reduced to near zero at times, especially with any blowing snow."
Meanwhile, people in southern Ontario will be hit by a comparatively blissful rainfall on St. Patrick's Day, as a milder weather system makes its way through regions such as the Greater Toronto Area and Windsor-Essex.
According to forecast maps, Toronto could receive 10 to 20 millimetres of rain on Friday with less than 5 centimetres of snow expected to land in the city through Saturday.
As for what's causing all this precipitation? Experts say it can be linked to a wide-reaching low-pressure system over the Great Lakes, which is helping to sweep a large amount of moisture north of the border.
TWN reports that in early spring, these types of storms have the potential to produce heavier snowfall by drawing upon a deep source of tropical moisture that flows up from the south and west.
Thankfully, spring starts on Monday and we'll see Ontario greeted by calmer weather and near-seasonal temperatures, a notable reversal of the current system.
However, there is a potential for another disruptive system to arrive in the latter half of the week, which forecasters are observing.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.