Major Storm, Heavy Snow, to Hit Ontario After the Prairies

Raised windshield wiper blades are seen above a blanket of snow covering a car in Ottawa, on Jan. 17, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang)

Northern Ontario is bracing for some harsh weather this week as a major storm coming from the Prairies is expected to bring heavy snowfall, winter storms, and downpours that could flood some areas.

The storm that began battering southern Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan on Tuesday could be the worst blizzard in decades, Environment Canada warned. As of Wednesday morning, snowfall continues to accumulate and could reach up to 50cm in certain parts of the two provinces.

The conditions begin to improve on Friday, as the heaviest snow pivots into northern Ontario, prompting the weather agency to issue several weather warnings on Wednesday morning. Winter storm warnings were issued for several regions including Atikokan, Big Trout Lake, Dryden, Fort Frances, Fort Hope, Geraldton, Kenora, Lake Nipigon, Pickle Lake, Red Lake, Sandy Lake, and Sioux Lookout.

“A strong low pressure system is expected to track over northwestern Ontario bringing a couple days of heavy snow mixed with rain and ice pellets,” the agency said.

A mix of rain, snow, and ice pellets is expected to hit early in the day before changing to snow in the evening, with the heaviest snow expected to fall Wednesday night. Lighter snowfall will continue throughout Thursday and into Friday morning.

Snowfall in these areas could accumulate between 25 and 60 centimetres.

The municipality of Sioux Lookout has told local residents to make plans to brace for emergencies, including building an emergency survival kit and developing an evacuation route.

Other areas, including Thunder Bay, Chapleau, regions along the north shore of Lake Superior, can expect heavy rainfall of between 20 and 40 mm on Wednesday.

For Thunder Bay, light showers are expected to turn to heavy rain and may be mixed at times with ice pellets on Wednesday, and shift to snow overnight.

On Tuesday, the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority issued a flood outlook statement for Thunder Bay and surrounding areas, warning that the prolonged rainfall may lead to a rise in flowing water in local waterways, ponding in low-lying areas, and areas with frozen ditches and blocked culverts.