Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all...

An active weather pattern is upon us with a major storm lifting north across the central US plains and into the Great Lakes. West of this system arctic air and strong north winds are producing a Christmas blizzard across the Dakotas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin and north into northwest Ontario. Travel is nearly impossible with 30cm of snow and 80 to 100km/h winds. We will remain on the warmer side of the storm with freezing rain and rain. The precipitation has already started in southwest Ontario and is primarily rain. However temperatures at the surface remain below freezing in the St. Lawrence Valley as well as upstate New York and the Ottawa Valley. A winter storm watch is in effect for upstate New York while a freezing rain warning is posted for the Ottawa Valley and east central Ontario. I expect those will be shifted east into Quebec and Montreal. The precipitation will not start till overnight tonight and it will last well into Boxing Day. Look for 5 to 10mm of ice possible, enough to make travel very dangerous Saturday. Afterwards a strong cold front and cold arctic air will sweep the region Sunday with a burst of steady snow into Monday as the cold air deepens. Roads will be snow covered with low visibilities in blowing snow into Monday. Stay tuned for more information and an update on the warnings later today. Lake effect snow will also develop around the Great Lakes on Sunday.