Winter is officially here: Canada's in for snow and frigid temperatures this week
Time to dig up those snow boots from the back of the closet — Canada’s weekly weather forecast is calling for snow and frigid temperatures.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has issued weather alerts across the country this week as winter finally rears its ugly head.
Parts of BC are expected to be hit with 10 to 20 cm of snow starting today, which could last until Wednesday morning.
ECCC says Metro Vancouver will see an accumulation of snow inland and on higher terrain.
“Inland sections and higher terrain will be cold enough for snow on Monday. The snow will become more intense on Monday night and significant snow accumulations are expected,” reported the weather agency.
Snow is expected to reach sea level along the coastal areas of the South Coast and Eastern Vancouver Island, but the powder likely won’t stick.
“Mild air moving into the region will help transition any snow to rain by Monday afternoon,” said Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The agency also issued alerts for “very strong winds” on East Vancouver Island.
“By early this evening the strongest winds will be occurring, giving southeast winds of 70 gusting to 90 km/h,” reads the alert.
“The frontal system is expected to pass through by midnight and winds will switch to strong southwesterly at that time.”
In the east, The Weather Network forecasts difficult travel for Ontarians as a “powerful storm threatens snow and ice” in the province.
It might be worth working from home on Tuesday and Wednesday.
“A swath of snow, widespread heavy rains, blustery winds, and even a risk for ice pellets and freezing rain will spread across the province as the low arrives in the region through Tuesday,” reports The Weather Network.
The same major storm affecting Ontario and Quebec this week will spawn multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms in the southern U.S., focused on Florida. #FLwx https://t.co/U87uHW4v3L
— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) January 8, 2024
Montreal is also expected to be hit by a “major storm” on Tuesday, according to ECCC.
“Precipitation will begin as snow before changing over to rain Wednesday morning. A more or less extended period of freezing rain is possible during the transition,” reads a weather alert.
“Strong winds will also accompany this storm.”
Last week, weather agencies forecasted the arrival of this polar vortex in Canada.
Brian Proctor, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, provided some more insight into what a polar vortex is and how it will impact the country.
“The polar vortex is something that’s often in place for us in Canada,” Proctor told Daily Hive.
Oftentimes, the polar vortex forms in the eastern-central part of the country — near Hudson Bay — as this is where low-pressure centres go to “decay.”
The polar vortex builds in that area and then often carries around parts of the Eastern Arctic in Canada through much of the winter.
“We’re definitely seeing [the polar vortex] strengthen at this point in time,” he explained.
Proctor noted that the cold air is currently pushing further south into the northern prairies and will continue to travel further southward into western Canada this week.
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