Sudbury, North Bay areas brace for wintery blast
Winter storm warning for Sudbury, Manitoulin, North Bay and Temiskaming areas
Winter isn't quite ready to loosen it's grip on northeastern Ontario.
Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for Sudbury, Manitoulin Island, North Bay, Powassan, Mattawa, New Liskeard and Temagami.
The weather agency said a slow moving low pressure system is passing through the Lower Great Lakes.
Snow is expected to move into northeastern Ontario later Thursday. Up to 15 cm of snow and ice pellets could fall in the hardest hit areas before the storm tapers off on Friday night.
The wind will also be a factor, Environment Canada said. Strong easterly winds to 60 km/h could cause low visibility in areas of local blowing snow.
Toronto is under a freezing rain warning.
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Slow start to spring
The mid-April storm warning is another sign spring has been slow to arrive.
However, last year's record-setting spring temperatures may be making it seem unseasonably cold.
Temperatures for the most part in the northeast have only been a few degrees cooler than normal, Environment Canada senior climatologist David Phillps said.
"[Last year] we went from snow to sweat," he said.
"Just as an example in Sault Ste Marie, on the first day of spring last year, the temperature was 26.7 C. This year on the first full day of spring the temperature was -2.4 C."