A bitterly cold January stretch will temporarily end later on Wednesday when extreme cold warnings for Toronto and the GTA lift to make way for less frigid conditions by comparison.
Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning for Toronto on Tuesday, with wind chill values ranging from -30 to -35. The warning cited an Arctic airmass bringing bitterly cold winds to the area.
“Extreme cold coming to an end later [Wednesday] morning,” Canada’s weather agency said.
That airmass has gripped much of the province in a deep freeze, intensifying powerful lake-effect snow squalls, prompting other extreme cold warnings for southern Ontario, including Mississauga, Brampton, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, Guelph, Windsor, London, and Barrie.
Tuesday’s daytime high of -12 C was the coldest day in Toronto on record since January 2019.
Environment Canada notes that the extreme cold warning will likely be lifted on Wednesday, though it will still be chilly for much of the day, with a forecasted daytime high of -11 and the wind chill making it feel more like -20. There is the chance for scattered flurries and some snow accumulation in parts.
The bitter frostiness will ease to cap off the week, as Thursday and Friday’s daytime highs will be around -5 C and -6 C. Toronto’s weekend forecast is also promising, with a mix of sun and clouds and daytime temperatures hovering around -3 C and -2 C.
Colder-than-average temperatures are forecast to persist into late January. As February begins, milder air is expected to push north of the border.
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