Meteorologists say snow squalls may impact parts of the London area Thursday evening ahead of frigid temperatures in the forecast for Friday.
Late Thursday afternoon, Environment Canada issued a snow squall watch for several areas in southwestern Ontario, including London-Middlesex and parts of Woodstock and Oxford County.
“A brief but intense snow squall, associated with a fast-moving arctic cold front, will push southeastward across southern Ontario this [Thursday] evening.” read a statement from the weather agency. “Heavy snow will combine with gusty northwesterly winds to give significantly reduced visibilities.”
Snowfall amounts with this system are not likely to be too significant, as accumulations between just two and five centimetres in some areas are predicted. Strong wind gusts of 50 to 70 kilometres per hour are also possible.
Plunging temperatures associated with this cold front are expected to bring in the coldest air of the season so far. While an extreme cold warning is not in effect for London-Middlesex as of Thursday afternoon, the Middlesex London Health Unit has issued a cold weather alert for the region as windchill values in London are expected to drop to -22 C overnight.
