If you are hoping to wake up to a white Christmas in the Forest city this year the odds are in our favour.
A potent winter storm is on the way Thursday night, with snow and arctic cold to follow late Friday.
The system will bring rain Thursday night, but will be followed by a cold blast of arctic air and a burst of snow Friday.
Lake-effect flurries and blowing snow will follow Saturday and flurries forecast to continue Christmas Day.
The definition of a white Christmas, according to Environment Canada, is two centimetres or more of snow on the ground by 7 a.m. on Christmas morning.
Looking back on previous years, there have been 15 green Christmases between 1986 and 2021, and according to Environment Canada there is 66 per cent chance of a white Christmas in the Forest City this year.
These statistics are based on 67 years (1955 - 2021) of snowfall records.
This recent storm has significantly increased our odds of seeing snow on Christmas morning.
The latest on the storm
A special weather statement is in effect for southern Ontario as a low pressure system is forecast to develop over the Southern Plains. This low will move toward the Great Lakes Thursday.
As the low moves toward Ontario, an arctic high will move into the upper Midwest of the United States. This combination will send bitterly cold air into the area for the end of the week.
A multi-day lake-effect snow event is expected into the weekend in the wake of the system for locations east of the Great Lakes.
Environment Canada does caution, “While there is high confidence in a high impact winter storm, the details regarding wind speeds, precipitation types and amounts remain highly uncertain at this time.”
With the storm slated to occur leading up to and during the holiday weekend, Environment Canada urges people to consider altering plans over the holidays as travel conditions may be hazardous.
— With files from CTV News London’s Ashley Hyshka
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