Brace for 'bitter cold' Environment Canada says, as Hamilton digs out from significant snowfall

As people in Hamilton and surrounding areas continue to dig out from Saturday's and Sunday's "significant snowfall," Environment Canada is warning of a cold snap in the coming days.

Geoff Coulson, a warning preparedness meteorologist at Environment Canada, says "the fact that we've still got to get through February and March" means there's more winter to come. 

"The concern in the coming days for the Hamilton area, not necessarily snowfall amounts, but bitter cold," Coulson told CBC Hamilton on Monday. 

"We're looking at temperatures much colder than normal for the next few days. The wind is gonna make it feel even colder than that with fairly significant wind chill values."

Monday's forecast calls for flurries and blowing snow with local amounts of two centimetres. Westerly winds of 40 km/h gusting to 60 are also in the forecast, with a high –8 C, feeling like –21 with the wind chill.

Environment Canada says there will be some clearing this evening. Winds will be westerly at 30 km/h gusting to 50. Tonight's low is –14 C with a wind chill near –22.

31 centimetres of snow fell over 2 days 

Environment Canada says more than 30 centimetres of snow fell in Hamilton on Saturday and Sunday.

"The two-day amount from the system that went through Saturday and Sunday ended up giving the Hamilton area about 31 centimetres," Coulson said.

"For the wider area, we saw accumulations anywhere between 15 to 25 centimetres." 

According to Coulson, while it's difficult to get records for snowfall spread out over two days, he doesn't believe it's a record. 

"It's just pretty significant snowfall," he said.

Snow clearing ongoing, city says

Meanwhile, the City of Hamilton says snow clearing is ongoing Monday, including at city facilities.

The city is reminding people to allow extra travel time and to also drive according to weather conditions.

Increasing cloudiness is forecast for Tuesday with a 40 per cent chance of flurries in the afternoon. The daytime high is expected to be –10 C but, with the wind chill, it will feel like –23 in the morning and –18 in the afternoon.