Toronto is heading into one of its coldest stretches of the season, with meteorologists warning that a dangerous surge of Arctic air will settle over the GTA from Friday afternoon through Sunday morning.
City-wide wind chills could plunge into the -30s, creating conditions where frostbite on exposed skin may occur within minutes.
The deep freeze marks a sharp turn in what has already been a bitter week across the region, with temperatures expected to fall into the –10s during the day and the –20s overnight — before factoring in the wind. Extreme cold warnings are likely as the frigid air mass intensifies, according to 680 NewsRadio meteorologist Carl Lam.
Temperatures have been running well below seasonal norms in Toronto and across the GTA this week as Arctic air grips southern Ontario. Recent forecasts show wind chills hovering near –20 during the day in Toronto, driven by strong westerly winds between 30 and 50 km/h.
Toronto will see mostly cloudy skies with limited sunshine and the chance of light snow showers on Thursday, producing 1 to 2 centimetres of accumulation. Southwest winds between 20 and 40 km/h, gusting to 50 km/h, will keep the afternoon temperature near –4 C, with a wind chill of –14.
Temperatures will fall to –11 C on Thursday night, with a wind chill near –20.
The city will experience partly to mostly sunny conditions, but the cold intensifies. A few flurries are possible, with snow showers more likely north of the GTA. Westerly winds of 20 to 40 km/h, gusting to 50, will hold the daytime high to –10 C, with a wind chill of –20. Overnight, temperatures plunge to –23 C with a dangerous wind chill of –31 — the period of greatest frostbite risk.
Toronto’s extended forecast: What to know for the weekend
Saturday: Mostly sunny in Toronto but intensely cold, with a high of –16 C and a low of –20 C.
Sunday: Clouds return as the U.S. storm system approaches. Lam says periods of moderate snow are possible, with highs of –6 C and lows of –13 C. Forecasters caution that snowfall amounts remain uncertain due to ongoing shifts in the storm track.
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