Wintry weather in store for much of Canada in first few days of spring

Spring may have officially arrived, but most Canadians can expect a blast of wintery weather this week as temperatures drop and snow blankets parts of the country.

Spring may have officially arrived, but most Canadians can expect a blast of wintery weather this week as temperatures drop and snow blankets parts of the country.

According to CTV Your Morning's meteorologist Kelsey McEwen, a sharp cold front will prompt lake effect snow in Ontario as well as flurries, gusty winds and dropping temperatures.

Environment Canada has already issued snow squall warnings and watches for a large swathe of Southern Ontario including cities and towns like Barrie, Orillia, Tobermory, Haliburton, Goodrich, Stratford, London, Bracebridge, Huntsville and Parry Sound. In some areas, as much as 35 centimetres of snow could accumulate by Thursday afternoon.

A second system will move in over Friday and the weekend, bringing measurable snowfall to major cities like Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal, and then a mix of rain and snow for Atlantic Canada.

So much for Groundhog Day predictions of an early spring!

A cold front is also expected to bring heavy snow on Tuesday to southern and central Alberta, including Calgary, Drumheller, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and both Banff and Jasper National Parks. While most areas will receive 10 to 15 cm of snow, as much as 30 cm could fall in some locations by Friday morning, prompting several Environment Canada snowfall warnings.

In Atlantic Canada, rain, snow, and gusty winds are in the forecast for some locations, prompting more Environment Canada warnings. Parts of Cape Breton in Nova Scotia could experience damaging winds of up to 100 km/h on Thursday morning and afternoon, while Newfoundland's Avalon peninsula is expected to receive 25 to 35 millimetres of rain between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. In Quebec, parts of the Gaspe Peninsula could receive 15 to 20 cm of snow on Wednesday.