Sudden snowfall will 'almost guarantee' a white Christmas for parts ...

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for a large swath of Ontario, including Toronto and the GTA, as snow is expected to move into the region on Monday, two days before Christmas.

The winter weather advisory stretches from the Greater Toronto Area to Grand Bend to Sault Ste. Marie and across to Ottawa and into Quebec.

Snow will move into the area Monday morning, followed by a break in the afternoon, until the next round falls. For Toronto and the GTA, Environment Canada says total snowfall accumulations of five to 15 cm of snow is expected.

“Only a few centimetres are expected from this initial round of snow,” Environment Canada said in its advisory.

“Another more significant round of snow is expected to move into the area this afternoon or early this evening.”

Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said the snow accumulation could start after 4 p.m. for Toronto and the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area.

“This a clipper system, meaning it moves relatively quick and these systems don’t usually have an abundance of moisture but the Great Lakes can often enhance snowfall amounts as the disturbance moves through,” he said.

Hull said Toronto’s downtown area can expect to see about 5 to 10 cm while northern parts of the GTA could see closer to 10 to 15 cm. Areas east of Georgian Bay into eastern Ontario could see closer to 15 to 20 cm.

“All this to say that if you have any last minute shopping to do or you’re travelling try and do it earlier today or tomorrow because late this afternoon into this evening there likely will be impacts on the roads slowing things down along with some slick conditions,” Hull noted.

Environment Canada said the snow will taper off to flurries late tonight with a risk of freezing drizzle.

This snowfall will “almost guarantee” it to be a white Christmas for Toronto and much of southern Ontario.

“With the addition of this fresh snow, along with the snowfall that’s already fallen it almost guarantees that it will be a white Christmas for the GTA and virtually all of southern Ontario,” Hull said.

“Temperatures will rise to just above freezing on Christmas Eve but then drop back down below freezing overnight into Christmas morning – so no major melt is expected.

Hull noted Environment Canada’s definition of a white Christmas is two cm or more on the ground by 7 a.m. Christmas morning.

Toronto is expected to see a high of 0 C on Monday with a low of -9 with the wind chill. Temperature highs in the days to follow are expected to remain just slightly above freezing.

Hull said the snow will start to melt later in the week into this upcoming weekend as temperatures rise to above freezing and with rain in the forecast.

Meanwhile, the weather agency has also issued snowfall warnings for parts of cottage country including Parry Sound, Bracebridge and in areas just north of Kingston such as Smith Falls and Perth.

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Heavy snow of about 15 to 20 cm is expected. The weather agency warns of hazardous driving conditions.

“Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.”

The snow is expected to advance on Ottawa Monday afternoon, becoming heavy at times through the night with accumulations between 10 to 15 centimetres.

The low-pressure system developed along the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, in what forecasters call an Alberta Clipper. Environment Canada meteorologist Brad Rousseau said the systems are generally characterized by smaller winter storms than low-pressure systems that develop out of Texas or Colorado, but they’re generally fast-moving and a little drier.

Hull said ahead of Monday’s snowfall, Toronto (measuring at Pearson airport) has received just over 15 cm of snow so far this December. The normal or average for the entire month is 24.9 cm.

“This is much less than the over a meter of snow that’s fallen around Bracebridge and areas east of Georgian Bay so far this season. Those communities are certainly well ahead when it comes to snowfall totals.”

— With files from The Canadian Press