mississaugasnow

Im at day 12 now with about 4" on the ground. Consistent winter weather across most of WNY and Southern Ontario. Even Most of the Midwest and Virginia-Maine with NYC-DC getting multiple snowstorms. Looks to be a lock for me to get to 20 days with consistent snow cover and even NYC will most likely go 14 days with snow on the ground. I know some of you will hate this but with the next 7-10 days looking at least seasonably chilly and 1-2" system snows every other day all I need is one more big storm 6"+ with winter storm watches/warnings. Come early-mid march I hope we flip the script and the SE ridge locks in and we get consistent above average temperatures. I love that first warm day of spring where it reaches 60-70F and sun.

Thats why I love cold Februarys and March. When the switch happens you go from highs of 15-20F to 45-50F it feels amazing. Instead of a semi warm February and March that go from 35-40F to 45-50F. Kind of feels like your stuck in no mans land.

I think it was you and I a little while back talking about March temperatures. Up here in the eastern Great Lakes our coldest is normally delayed because of the lakes. A cold airmass in December has to travel across Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron so it normally loses a bit of punch. By late January the Lakes are normally 32F or have significant ice cover thus allowing the air to stay "colder" Thats also why Niagara, Downtown Toronto, Downtown Buffalo have about the same growing season as Central Indiana even though we are much further north. In October the lakes are warm enough that Central Indiana gets a frost and its 32F but in Buffalo/Toronto its 35-40F and the growing season continues. Same in May as the lakes have normally warmed enough to protect the lakeshore from late season frosts.

Pretty cool to be seeing consistent Lake Effect light snow for most of the day so far up here in Northern Haldimand County. Theres a band just missing me to the north going thru Hamilton producing low visibility

Good luck to you guys in the western Sub. Looks like Toronto cashed all its chips in November and December and will get cold but not extreme and some snow but also not worthy of much discussion. I do enjoy snow cover and cold but I can already tell the itch for spring has started. I enjoyed watching 35F and sun melt the snow outside which is generally the first sign I'm getting over winter.

I cut March into 1/3rds haha. The 1st/3rd is reliably winter, mid way is difficult to get a good snow storm but happens and after about March 25th it becomes exceedingly rare for Toronto to get a snowstorm over 6". It has happened but its just as likely to be 50F and sunny or 1-3" and 32F. Id argue by late March its easier to get to 60F and sunny instead of a 6-10" winter storm. So overall I stop following snow chances right around St.Patricks day

Im good for a quick burst of 1-3" followed by some rain that doesnt destroy the snow pack followed by extreme cold. It would create a glacier that would be tough to melt.

Hamilton Mountain just off highway 6. I should probably switch my name haha

Im liking the seasonably chilly week followed by extreme cold. It will allow us to retain this semi-decent snowpack (3" up on the escarpment). Looking at the next 7-14 days shows some light snow/mix but nothing to write home about. I do enjoy following big time Southern US snowstorms as some models have shown so that would be fun to track.

For the GTA im not expecting a whole lot in the next 10-14 days. Seasonably chilly to begin with much colder in the long range looks certain which is nice in retaining snow. But overall storminess looks suppressed for my area. Enjoy CNY!

Kentucky? It would be brutal for them though but not many plants to cover that far north. Maybe the Deep South

I love these maps in the winter as it clearly shows the climate difference that the Great Lakes cause compared to other similar areas. In the Summer it sucks until about July as the warmth gets destroyed trying to get into the immediate Great Lakes region.

In case you guys ever want to see web cams of the highways in and around southern ontario. https://511on.ca/#:Alerts

Whats interesting regarding the general public is generally numerous 2-4" events plus some sustained cold/snow cover will make a lot assume it was a harsh winter. The average Joe commuting to work or walking his dog won't really notice the difference between a 3" snow that slowed down his commute substantially compared to a 4-6" event that would have done the same thing and left the ground looking just as white.

Ill take this because it looks like we enter a decent chilly period after this storm until early-mid next week. 2-4" up here on the mountain and staying on the ground will help push some of the negative winter vibes away haha. Also some of the hardest snow of the winter currently falling here.

Loved weather as a kid and even had someone get me a present of being on the weather network morning show in the mid 90s for my 7th birthday haha. I used to be the weather weenie who played in snow in the front yard but wanted it "untouched" in the backyard and would get upset when I saw siblings playing back there haha. Went to Laurier for Global studies and post-grad in International development and worked at an NGO in the Middle East and Red Cross back home in Canada but then decided to go into construction (project manager) So now I have two time consuming hobbies haha following weather (I enjoy winter the most but summer heatwaves and severe weather are a close 2nd) and keeping up to date with international relations/development. Knowing the weather and upcoming patterns also helps me plan my projects accordingly.

haha I know im starting to get the spring itch when my eyes drawn immediately to the upper 50s/60s trying to poke into southern Indiana

Environment Canadas forecast has tossed any snow for GTA. Im still thinking we might be able to squeeze a 1-2" snowfall and go into the cold week with at least something on the ground.

The GTA should take 2-4" and run with it. Would be biggest snowfall in nearly a month

I think we've drifted into banter. Just saying some people here think winter is supposed to be like the arctic and assume our summers are also like the Deep South lol.

Winter in the southern Great Lakes is also never supposed to be sustained cold and snow on the ground from November-March lol. Toronto-Detroit-Chicago are supposed to see numerous thaws with temperatures normally getting into the 50s almost every year in winter. I understand April will (normally) never be wall-wall 70s and sun but January is never (normally) supposed to be wall-wall 15F heavy snow and lows of 0F.

Mid March-Mid May around the Great Lakes might be the most depressing weather of the year. Any big time cold outbreak isn't winter legit its 42F with showers and wet snow flakes with higher terrain seeing 3-6". Its mud season and worst of all everyone just outside the immediate great lakes is enjoying 70s-80s like Missouri, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois (away from the lakes). While MN, NY, PA, MI get non stop back door cold fronts. Its part of our climo and im used to it but thats why I want an above average spring haha.

Ya, right now nothing will be blooming as even though it seems warmer its mostly the nighttime lows. Looking back at Toronto January so far and most days were in the mid 30s and lows in mid 20s. Im hoping we see 1-2 more legit snowstorms of at least 4-8 inches and some decent cold in the single digits and then crank the thermostat for March and April haha.

Wouldnt mind a warm spring for a change so hoping that happens. Could be a very early spring vegetation wise in the SE and up into the Great Lakes. Im also thinking that the Lakes have little chance of getting a good solid ice cover this year which should help out locally with early spring temperatures.

Lucky Toronto got a hot start from Mid November to just after Christmas. This winter won't go down in the history books for no snow, but some individual months like January might. All this hype about big time cold and big time storms......Keeps getting punted further and further.