Snow storm. (© Can Stock Photo / redsand156) Snow storm. (© Can Stock Photo / redsand156)
Chatham

Winter Storm Heading For Region

Environment Canada is tracking a winter storm that is set to blow through Southwestern Ontario.

Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Geoff Coulson says a couple of weather systems will be affecting Southwestern Ontario over the next few days.

Coulson says the first system began on Wednesday and will continue into Thursday.

"A system moving through the Upper Great Lakes area of Lake Superior and Lake Huron is going provide mild temperatures and rain across much of Southwestern Ontario," says Coulson.

But closer to the end of the week, residents can expect a drop in temperatures and another round of snowfall.

"Another system that's going to be developing and moving south of Lake Erie will be bringing snow to the area and this will probably be during the day Friday and into early Saturday morning," says Coulson.

He says freezing rain is possible as well.

"The concern with this second system on Friday is that we are likely to see a transition from rain first thing Friday morning to freezing rain during the morning hours on Friday and then a transition into snow by about mid-day on Friday," says Coulson.

Coulson says it looks like the heaviest snow is going to fall more towards the shoreline of Lake Erie and towards the Niagara Peninsula.

He says it does not look like the London-to-Windsor corridor will get as much snow.

"There's been a lot of variability in the track of this system from the various different models we've been looking at, so it's probably going to take another day for us to nail down the track. If it does look like we are looking at some big snow numbers for the southwest, we could, in fact, see some statements being issued by Environment Canada about this storm system," says Coulson.

Coulson says there could be a winter storm warning on Friday depending on how long forecasters believe the freezing rain will last. There could also be potential for a snowfall warning if forecasters believe there will be more than 15cm falling in less than 12 hours. He adds that if lesser amounts of snowfall are anticipated, there could still be winter weather advisories or special weather statements issued.

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