Intensifying snow threatens Monday commute, holiday travels in Ontario – The Weather Network

SEE ALSO: What exactly makes for a ‘white Christmas’?

Expect the snow to begin by Monday afternoon, spreading across the region through the day. Snowfall will continue to intensify into the evening and persisting through the overnight. Parts of eastern Ontario can expect to see snow still falling on Tuesday morning.

Most areas, including the north and eastern sections of the Greater Toronto Area, can expect 5-10 cm of snow from this system, with totals reaching up to 20 cm across parts of eastern Ontario and along the snow belts. Look out for moderate travel impacts through the day on Monday, with slick roads a good bet for the evening commute.

A mixture of rain and snow is possible along Lake Erie shore, as well as parts of the southwest and the Niagara Peninsula, lowering snowfall totals in these places.

What does this mean for Christmas morning? Remember that an ‘official’ white Christmas occurs when forecasters measure 2 cm of snow on the ground at 7:00 a.m. on Christmas Day.

Minimal sunshine on Christmas Eve, along with temperatures holding shy of the freezing mark, will likely help to maintain that snowpack from the GTA northward heading into the big day on Wednesday. Keep your fingers crossed, kids.

Post-Christmas, it looks like the freezing cold that has settled over southern Ontario will finally lift, making room for warmer temperatures to end 2024 and kick off the new year.

WATCH: ‘Safe today and not safe tomorrow’: What you need to know about ice

Stay with The Weather Network for more forecast information and updates on your weather across Ontario.