City Under Special Weather Statement as Temperatures Teeter on the Edge
Friday Starts Calm, But Ice Could Cause Weekend Woes
TORONTO – WEATHER – Toronto is tiptoeing into the weekend with a freezing forecast that’s less spring fling and more slip ‘n slide. A Special Weather Statement remains in effect for the City of Toronto, with two potential rounds of freezing rain: one beginning tonight into Saturday morning, and another from Saturday night into Sunday.
As of 6:00 AM EDT at Toronto Pearson International Airport, it’s mostly cloudy with a temperature just under the 1°C mark. Winds are gently blowing from the north-northeast at 8 km/h. The barometric pressure is steady but rising at 102.2 kPa, and the relative humidity is sitting at 77%, hinting at the moisture that’s about to move in.
Today will see a calm but cloudy start, with periods of rain developing late in the afternoon. The high will hover around +3°C, but it’ll feel more like -5°C this morning with the wind chill—so if you’re heading out early, layer like it’s still February. Winds will remain light at up to 15 km/h, and the UV index will be a moderate 4.
Ice Ice Baby: Tonight’s Risk of Freezing Rain
Tonight’s the first act in what could be a double-feature of freezing rain. As rain moves in, temperatures are expected to hang around the freezing mark, meaning a risk of ice accretion ranging from 3 to 5 mm—enough to cause slick roads, power outages, and potentially some tree damage. Winds will shift eastward at 20 km/h, gusting to 40 km/h, with a low of 0°C.
Saturday & Sunday: Flip-Flop Temperatures and Frozen Fallout
Saturday won’t offer much relief. Periods of rain are forecast throughout the day, with a lingering risk of freezing rain in the morning. The high will reach +3°C with southwest winds at 20 km/h gusting to 40. By Saturday night, another round of freezing rain is likely as the temperature dips to -2°C—so if you’re planning to head out, maybe don’t wear your nicest shoes.
Sunday continues the icy theme with more freezing rain or rain expected and a high of just +2°C. Sunday night will bring continued rain and slightly warmer lows at +1°C. Monday tries to wash the weekend woes away with showers and a high of +3°C, though a chance of flurries returns Monday night as temps fall to -7°C.
Wardrobe Wisdom
If you’re venturing out this weekend, dress like you’re walking through a skating rink—because you just might be. Waterproof boots with good grip, a warm layer under a raincoat, and gloves are smart choices. And maybe keep the fancy umbrella at home—gusty winds and freezing rain are a recipe for a broken brolly.
Historic Weather Snapshot
On this day, Toronto’s warmest temperature ever recorded was a balmy 21.4°C in 1998, while the chilliest dip hit a frosty -15.6°C in 1964. Today’s temperatures may not break records, but they’ll keep things slick and chilly enough to make history of their own.
Weather Trivia: Toronto’s Icy Tendencies
Did you know that Toronto’s average annual number of freezing rain days is about 12? Most of those fall between November and April, with late March being a particularly fickle period where spring and winter battle it out—and the roads, sidewalks, and streetcar wires are caught in the crossfire.
