'Early spring storm' expected tonight through Thursday

Power outages will be possible. Travel may become hazardous due to accumulating snow and reduced visibility, Environment Canada says

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WEATHER ALERT
ENVIRONMENT CANADA
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Special weather statement issued for:
   Listowel - Milverton - Northern Perth County, Ont. (046320)
   Stratford - Mitchell - Southern Perth County, Ont. (046340)
   Kitchener - Cambridge - Region of Waterloo, Ont. (046430)
Special weather statement continued for:
   Newmarket - Georgina - Northern York Region
   Vaughan - Richmond Hill - Markham
   Barrie - Orillia - Midland
   Owen Sound - Blue Mountains - Northern Grey County
   Mount Forest - Arthur - Northern Wellington County
   Guelph - Erin - Southern Wellington County
   Innisfil - New Tecumseth - Angus
   Halton Hills - Milton
Kitchener - Cambridge - Region of Waterloo

Current details:
Early spring storm expected to bring strong winds, rain and the potential for significant snow today through Thursday.

Discussion:
A Colorado low is expected to begin affecting the region today. Precipitation is expected to begin as rain transitioning to snow Wednesday afternoon across the higher terrain along the Niagara Escarpment northwest of the GTA. The transition to snow across the remainder of the area will occur Wednesday night. The higher terrain through the Oak Ridges Moraine and along the Niagara Escarpment northwest of the GTA is expected to have the highest probability for significant snowfall accumulation.

Strong easterly winds will develop tonight with wind gusts up to 70 km/h, possibly up to 80 km/h for the regions along the shores of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. The winds will ease on Wednesday.

Impacts:
Power outages will be possible. Travel may become hazardous due to accumulating snow and reduced visibility.

Confidence is low as there remains a high degree of uncertainty with the low's track, which will have significant impacts on temperatures, snowfall amounts as well as if and when rain will transition to snow.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to [email protected] or tweet reports using #ONStorm.

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