Lake-effect snow bringing hazardous travel across Southwestern Ontario

Significant lake-effect snowfall is expected across several regions of southwestern Ontario beginning early Thursday and continuing into Friday.

The most severe impacts are anticipated southeast of Georgian Bay, where 30 to 50 centimetres of snow could accumulate under persistent lake-effect bands. Higher localized amounts are possible. Northwest winds gusting up to 50 km/h may also produce blowing snow, further reducing visibility.

A second area of concern lies southeast of Lake Huron, where 20 to 30 centimetres of snow is possible. Snow squalls in this region may be more transient, which could limit totals in some communities.

Further south, from areas southeast of Lake Huron extending toward the Lake Erie shoreline, snowfall amounts could reach up to 15 centimetres. Variable conditions are expected due to shifting squall bands.

A similar setup is expected in areas southeast of Georgian Bay stretching toward the Lake Ontario shoreline, where up to 15 centimetres of snow may fall. Snow squalls may fluctuate in intensity, creating highly variable conditions.