Some parts of the province could see thigh-deep snow by Sunday, a twist that will significantly disrupt travel in the affected areas. DON’T MISS: Heavy rains could bury this big city under 100+cm of snow We are watching four separate targets for bands of heavy lake effect snow to develop over the next few days. Communities east and northeast of Lake Huron, Georgia Bay, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario should be on the lookout for rapidly changing conditions heading into the weekend.
WARNING: Setting snow in the Niagara region
It’s a classic setup for significant lake effect snow – cold westerly and southwesterly winds blowing over the warmer lakes will result in multiple bands of snow drifting onto the lake shores. Wind direction will favor dense, persistent bands of snow over narrower, milder bands, which will dump piles of snow on some communities while others nearby will see more manageable totals. Wind direction will play a key role in both how much snow falls and where the heaviest snow falls. RELATED: Why This ‘Perfect Lake Effect Storm’ Could Produce 100cm of Snow Thundersnow! He nailed it! Soooo @weathernetwork #NYwx #onstorm pic.twitter.com/VlUU4Xm4l2 Thundersnow! He nailed it! Oooooh! Mark Robinson on Twitter: “Thundersnow! Nailed it! Soooo! @weathernetwork #NYwx #onstorm pic.twitter.com/VlUU4Xm4l2 / Twitter” Mark Robinson on Twitter: “Thundersnow! twitter.com/VlUU4Xm4l2 / Twitter” Mark Robinson on Twitter: “Thundersnow! Nailed! Whooooooo! @weathernetwork #NYwx #onstorm pic.twitter.com/VlUU4Xm4l2 / Twitter” Mark Robinson on Twitter: “Thundersnow! @weathernetwork #NYwx #onstorm pic.twitter.com/VlUU4Xm4l2 / Twitter” — Mark Robinson (@StormhunterTWN) Mark Robinson on Twitter: “Thundersnow! Nailed it! Soooo! @weathernetwork #NYwx #onstorm pic.twitter.com/VlUU4Xm4l2 / Twitter” Travel will become treacherous or completely impossible during the heaviest snow zones, where visibility can sometimes be close to zero and roads will quickly become impassable due to rapidly accumulating snow. “Road closures are possible,” says Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) in a blizzard watch issued early Friday. “Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve. If you must travel, let others know your schedule and destination, and carry an emergency kit and cell phone.”
Danger zones: Areas at risk of dangerous snowfall
We should also add some information about the Grey-Bruce and Muskoka squalls The storms will really intensify for the Grey-Bruce and Muskoka areas on Friday, and will continue through most of the weekend. For the Muskoka area, showers will start near Gravenhurst and Bracebridge and on Saturday, move north before returning south overnight on Sunday. The Bruce Peninsula could see some of the highest accumulations of snow in southern Ontario with a persistent storm in the area through Sunday morning. Very heavy snow is also possible across the Niagara Peninsula, with the potential for a steep gradient between heavy snow and spectacular winter scenery. MUST SEE: Buried: Why the Great Lakes Produce Some of the Heaviest Snow in the World The worst conditions for the Niagara region and the northern shores of Lake Erie will be Saturday, with areas from Long Point to Fort Erie seeing the worst. The St. Catharines and Niagara Falls will be threatened with fairly heavy rain for a few hours on Saturday as well. Further north, the areas along Lake Ontario most at risk for disruptive snow will fall along the 401 into and east of Cobourg. This area is prone to sharply reduced visibility due to its proximity to Lake Ontario, so those traveling should prepare for near-calc conditions on Saturday. Due to the nature of lake-driven snow, storm totals will vary widely over short distances and between communities. Widespread totals of 25+ cm are possible across the region, with localized amounts of 50+ cm possible under the heaviest and most persistent zones of development. Stay tuned to The Weather Network as we track this developing lake effect snow event.
