It’s been a rough couple of days for Ontario’s snowbelts, where intense snow squalls prompted blizzard warnings for some communities.
While those blizzard warnings have since expired, the lake-effect snow setup will shift farther north for the day Friday, bringing the continued threat for rapidly changing road conditions throughout portions of cottage country. Snow squall warnings remain in effect to end the week.
MUST SEE: Canada hit with winter weather already, but will it stay for December?
Ontario snow squalls Friday morning
We’ll see the snow squalls shift back north by Friday morning. Bursts of whiteout conditions will persist for most of the day as these snow squalls lock into place north of Barrie, affecting sections of Highway 400 and Highway 11.
“Travel under the heaviest snow squalls is expected to be difficult to nearly impossible at times,” Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said in its snow squall warning for the region. Be sure to check highway conditions before heading out.
Periods of heavy lake-effect snow will also affect Highway 1 around Sault Ste. Marie through the day Friday.
Snow squall totals through Friday
Folks on the eastern shores of Georgian Bay, including Gravenhurst, could see another 20-40 cm of additional snowfall through the day Friday before the snow squalls finally wind down.
Conditions will improve heading into Saturday as the winds shift and a new airmass arrives across the region.
Better news is on the horizon. Looking ahead, changeable temperatures are likely for the rest of December, but more days will be mild than cold. However, we’re watching the potential for a more extended period of consistent cold weather for the first half of January.
WATCH: Shovelling snow can lead to injury, here’s how to do it properly
Click here to view the video
Header image submitted by Jossi Storrs.
Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on conditions across Ontario.