THUNDER BAY – Freezing Rain is going to make travel today very difficult if Environment Canada has pegged the forecast correctly. “Precipitation northwest of a now stalled front marking the division between warm summerlike air to the southeast and much colder Arctic air reminiscent of winter to the northwest has begun as patchy snow, ice pellets and freezing rain,” according to Environment Canada. “Meanwhile a disturbance tracking up along the line of the front is helping a better organized area of freezing rain to affect the regions today”.
Roadways in Thunder Bay are fine today, however sidewalks are another story depending on where you are. Snow was not cleared off sidewalks on Thursday. Overnight some sidewalks have been cleared, but are very icy after receiving a brushing from City Roads Crews.
The latest indications continue to suggest the freezing rain will affect locales along a band from Terrace Bay and Marathon to White River and northeastward through Manitouwadge, Hornepayne and Hearst. The freezing rain is expected to be mainly west of Wawa.
A few heavier bands of freezing rain are expected this morning. Indications suggest the front will start pushing slowly to the northwest as a warm front today. Hence freezing rain should eventually spread into the Geraldton to Thunder Bay regions late this afternoon as front gets closer, and reach Atikokan and Upsala this evening.
Ice accretion will be just a thin coating initially however by this evening there could be several millimetres of ice on surfaces. Travel may be impacted through the period.
