Snow squalls set to sweep the region with up to 30cm expected

CTV’s KC Kolby shares the latest details on weather across parts of Ontario.

A new round of lake-effect snow is set to hit the region, with Environment Canada warning conditions could deteriorate quickly beginning late Wednesday.

Environment Canada issued a ‘yellow watch’ at 5:49 a.m., noting snow squalls off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are expected to develop late this evening and continue through Thursday afternoon. The agency says local snowfall amounts could reach 15 to 30 centimetres, with visibility dropping sharply at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.

• Hourly and 7-day forecast on our CTVNewsBarrie.ca weather hub

According to the advisory, northwesterly winds are expected to gust between 50 and 60 km/h, which will worsen blowing snow and make travel difficult. Forecasters say conditions should improve by Thursday evening, but noted there is still uncertainty about exactly where the most intense bands will form.

The agency warned visibility may drop to near zero without warning, and road closures are possible. Drivers are urged to prepare for sudden changes in weather and deteriorating travel conditions.

This latest round of winter weather comes just days after a major early-season blast hit parts of the region. In a weather summary released Monday, Environment Canada reported that last weekend’s three-day lake-effect storm delivered significant totals, with Barrie receiving 43 centimetres of accumulation.

Colour Alerts

Environment Canada rolled out a new colour-coded weather alert system. Yellow is an alert to be aware that hazardous weather is on the way. This colour is the more common and closest to an advisory over a watch or warning.

The other two colours include red and orange.

Red means serious and potentially dangerous conditions. This colour is reserved for severe weather that could cause structural damage, extended outages, and health risks.

Orange equals ‘get ready for it.’ This colour means severe weather is likely and touches on what could be multi-day events.