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Buckle up, because Ontario’s weather is set to take a wild ride as La Niña makes its presence felt through the winter.
According to a new report from The Weather Network, this year’s winter is shaping up to be completely different from the mild conditions we saw last season, thanks to the arrival of a climate pattern called La Niña.
The pattern occurs when water temperatures around the equator in the eastern Pacific Ocean come in around 0.5 degrees C colder than normal for a few months in a row, which can influence weather systems worldwide.
The U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) indicates a 60 per cent chance that a weak La Niña will persist throughout the rest of winter, although there is a chance that we’ll revert back to more neutral conditions in time for spring.
La Niña conditions are officially here—and they’re likely to stick around for the rest of the winter. https://t.co/7WVUGOOA4A
— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) January 10, 2025
Still, overall conditions this season should closely match with what you’d expect to see during a typical La Niña winter. Forecasters are expecting overall above-seasonal temperatures across most of eastern Canada, while below-seasonal temperatures are expected for western Canada.
However, an active storm track will likely bring above-normal precipitation to most of Ontario, as a steady stream of low-pressure systems moves across the Great Lakes region.
Back in November, The Weather Network predicted that the upcoming winter season could be a turbulent one, and nothing like the season we experienced the year prior.
“Canada got off exceptionally easy last winter with much warmer-than-normal temperatures from coast to coast. However, we do not expect a repeat performance from winter this year,” Chris Scott, Chief Meteorologist at The Weather Network, said at the time.
“The exceptionally strong El Niño event, which was a key culprit for the lack of winter last year, is now a distant memory. We expect that winter will show up this year and attempt to redeem its reputation.”
The second week of January saw the coldest stretch of the winter season across the Great Lakes, with temperatures plunging into double-digit negatives and even reaching down to Florida in an extreme dip in temperatures.
Overall, the rest of the “come and go” winter season is expected to be a bit of a roller coaster, with stretches of mild weather battling it out against intense, stormy periods.
Toronto’s weather this upcoming week will be a blend of mild temperatures with occasional sunny breaks followed by scattered flurries and icy conditions. As has often been the case, Ontario’s weather will most likely continue to keep everyone on their toes with its unpredictable swings throughout the rest of the winter season.
