Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Record Warmth in Ontario & Snow in Victoria/Vancouver
Wow what a day it turned out to be yesterday. The strong southwest flow of air in advance of that Colorado Low pushed temperatures to record levels in Ontario. Cornwall hit 20C while Kemptville was 19C. The record warmth was about 20 degrees above the average high for this time of the year. The rain that fell with the storm, in many cases in excess of 30mm, has forced a rise in area water levels. As a matter of fact there were an array of flood warnings posted for numerous counties in New York. Meanwhile a Pacific storm dumped a few centimetres of snow on the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island. It was enough to make a mess of traffic.

~ The warm weather will be drawing to a close over the next 24 hours. A weak area of low pressure will herald much colder air along with a cm or two of snow late Thursday. As the system moves east it will intensify over the Maratimes. The cold air on the back side of the storm will sweep over the Great Lakes and turn on the snow machines once again in Jefferson, Lewis and the western Counties of NY, along with the area south and east of Lake Huron.

~ Tropical Storm Epsilon has formed in the Atlantic Ocean as the 2005 Hurricane season shows no sign of ending. Although the season officially ends today, we will be tracking Epsilon into December.

Monday, November 28, 2005

Freezing Rain Update

Freezing Rain ahead of a very warm and moist airmass is almost over in eastern Ontario after several millimeters of ice overnight. Roads are very slippery across the district and will be until mid morning....

SCHOOL BUSES only, have been cancelled for all schools, English and French in Lanark, Leeds, Grenville, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry, Prescott & Russell. The schools are open...go figure!

The Freezing Rain should end shortly in Montreal and the Warnings will be aloud to expire.

Drive slowly........

Thursday, November 24, 2005

ValleyWXPhoto...Plowing the roads in
South Mountain, Ontario this morning

Strom update......
The snow is just about over for Kemptville and Ottawa with just light flurries for the balance of the night. Less than 10cm has fallen here. The winds will begin to pick up shortly and will gust from 40-60km/h out of the west causing blowing and drifting snow.

The squalls and strong northwest winds have started up in the lee of the Great Lakes and travel in those areas is not recommended including south of the border around Watertown to Oswego to Buffalo, NY and further west through northern Pennsylvania (Erie County) and Ohio.
Strom continues.....
This is what you need to know today....

Ontario: Heavy Snow Warning for much of the southern part of the province. Heavy snow is occuring across the eastern part of the province from the clipper. Once that ends around noon, up to 15cm will be on the ground. It will be blown around by 40-60km/h winds.

Around the Lakes the snow machine will kick in with isolated heavy bands of snow dumping from 25-50cm in areas off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. Thunder has even been reported with the snow!

New York: travel will be very difficult across northern parts of the Empire State with heavy lake effrect snow and squalls affecting all of the northern and western counties. Up to 15cm is expected in St. Lawrence and Clinton Counties, with 15 plus in all other counties bordering the Lakes. Highways will be closed...check before you leave. Don't travel today if you don't have to.

Wednesday, November 23, 2005

ValleyWxPhoto: Snowsqualls along Leeds/Grenville Rd 44 this morning...

Winter Strom Warnings
15-25cm for Kemptville and the Seaway
A major winter weather event is upon us. An Alberta Clipper storm moving across the Great Lakes is forecast to deepen. Heavy Snow will begin overnight in the area and spread east to the Quebec border. Heavy Snow Warnings have been posted for Leeds/Grenville and the rest of Eastern Ontario.

The storm is expected to move across New York State Thursday. In its wake high winds will gust north or northwest over 60km/h. These winds will produce near Blizzard Conditions on the south side of the lakes in the traditional snowbelts. Expect poor travel on I-90 and I-81 from the Thousands Island Bridge to Syracuse. Also the 401 will become snow covered and very icy from Prescott west as the overnight period moves on.
Expect very poor travel weather in all areas Thursday...plan accordingly.
Another Winter Storm on the way for Ontario
Another round of winter weather is in store for our area. Yesterdays storm just grazed eastern Ontario and Montreal with light snow. At best a few centimetres fell, enough to slick up the roads. The storm was a nor'easter that roared up the eastern seaboard. Heavy rain and winds that exceeded 100km/h were reported in Nova Scotia and new Brunswick.

This next storm is a normally docile Alberta Clipper, however with the Great Lakes void of any ice, it is about to become quite intense. Snow is forecast to overspread the province from west to east tonight and early Thursday. The snow will be accompanied by strong gusty and shifting winds from the southwest then northwest. This will blow and drift much of what falls. Early estimates put the snowfall for most of us including Ottawa, Kemptville, Iroquois, the Seaway and Montreal between 10-15cm, with some areas around the northern Lakes and upper Ottawa Valley receiving over 20cm.

Winter Storm Warnings have been posted for portions of the province and a Winter Storm Watch is in effect for Northern New York and Northern New England. OF NOTE: It is a big travel period for many Americans. I wish you all a Happy Holiday and ask you to think today about your travel plans across the Great Lakes and Northeast. Behind the storm strong gusty northerly winds and unseasonable cold will turn on the snow machines across the snowbelts of Ontario and New York. This will be a big event with 1-2 feet of snow in the snowbelts south of Watertown NY (I-81) and across the Buffalo area (I-90).

The nest Advisory on this strom will be issued around 3pm today.....

Monday, November 21, 2005


Winter Storm Update
Here is how our first storm of the season will play out over the next 24 hours. It appears that strong low pressure currently developing south of Cape Hatteras will move north and east to lie near New York City tomorrow. The storm will spread heavy precipitation and gusty winds as far west as the St. Lawrence Valley. Presently no warnings have been issued on the Canadian side. There is however a Winter Strom warning in effect for the Adirondacks of NY and the Green Mountains while tha valley's have a Winter Weather Advisory posted. Precipitation will spread from south to north reaching eastern Ontario overnight. Precip will begin as rain mixed with snow before changing to all snow on gusty north winds up to 50km/h. The temperature will drop below freezing in the afternoon and it will become nasty form travel on Tuesday. At this time 10cm of snow near the US border with 5-10 elsewhere is a good bet. However it will all depend when the change over from rain occurs. It will nevertheless be a tough travel day with some form of precip all day throughout the region. More snow is expected by Thursday morning as another storm system moves near our area.

Sunday, November 20, 2005

Special Weather Statement
First Snowstorm of Season on its way

Strong low pressure is forecast to develop along the southeast coast of the US on Monday and move up along the seaboard towards the St. Lawrence Valley. Rain and wind is forecast for a large portion of New England , Ontario and Quebec beginning late in the day. As cold air is drawn into the storm, the rain will change to snow in eastern Ontario and Montreal on Tuesday. The track of the storm is still uncertain, however a Winter Strom Watch has been posted for the Adirondacks of NY. More watches and warning may be issued later Monday. Stay tuned and plan for winter weather for the balance of the week. It will snow and it will be cold from Tuesday on. Plan now and adjust your driving. The next statement will be posted by 4pm Monday.

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

Please slow down....

It is a message that becomes so clear as the snow flies and ice begins to form on area roadways. At least five fatal accidents have happened locally in the last 48 hours, the most recent in North Grenville this morning due to fog. But weather fog or freezing rain just SLOW DOWN. I am not quite sure why we try to push ourselves and our machines to the limit.

Heavy rain and poor visibility with some icy spots made the trip to and from the Corel Centre last night a little bit of an adventure, yahoos were still trying to push the pedal to 120km or more. I have been driving thousands of kilometres in numerous states and provinces for almost 25 years and despite the message being repeated every November when the first snow flies we don't seem to be getting it! Needless to say, unless you, or someone you love, is dying or giving birth, nothing is worth the price of your life. You have heard it before, slow down when the road conditions are poor. More snow and ice are hours away for Leeds & Grenville, and St. Lawrence Counties, please be careful and thoughtful of others.

Enough of that...today was a wild day temperature wise. A small wedge of wildly warm air for November pushed into Kemptville this morning. At 8:00am it was 8c by 9am it was 17c and by noon back down to 8c. The rapid warm up meant many people had condensation and fog inside their homes! A phenomena that occurs when it is actually colder in your home and car than outside. Rare event in November.

A Lake Effect Snow advisory is in effect for southern St. Lawrence, Jefferson and Franklin Counties in New York. If you are traveling south on I-81 or US37 be advised that roads could become icy overnight. We are expecting flurries in eastern Ontario.

The snowstorm that hit Manitoba and Saskatchewan dumped from 15-30cm of snow. It was
-29C in Regina this morning...ouch!!!

Be safe!!!!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005

Severe Weather Statement from Environment Canada.....

The threat for Freezing Rain has passed in Kemptville.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED FOR..CITY OF TORONTOWINDSOR - ESSEX - CHATHAM-KENTSARNIA - LAMBTONELGINLONDON - MIDDLESEXSIMCOE - DELHI - NORFOLKDUNNVILLE - CALEDONIA - HALDIMANDOXFORD - BRANTNIAGARACITY OF HAMILTONHALTON - PEELYORK - DURHAMHURON - PERTHWATERLOO - WELLINGTONDUFFERIN - INNISFILGREY - BRUCEBARRIE - ORILLIA - MIDLANDBELLEVILLE - QUINTE - NORTHUMBERLANDKINGSTON - PRINCE EDWARDPETERBOROUGH - KAWARTHA LAKESSTIRLING - TWEED - SOUTH FRONTENACBANCROFT - BON ECHO PARKBROCKVILLE - LEEDS AND GRENVILLECITY OF OTTAWAGATINEAUPRESCOTT AND RUSSELLCORNWALL - MORRISBURGSMITHS FALLS - LANARK - SHARBOT LAKEPARRY SOUND - MUSKOKA - HUNTSVILLEHALIBURTONRENFREW - PEMBROKE - BARRY'S BAYALGONQUINBURK'S FALLS - BAYFIELD INLET.

ANOTHER MAJOR FALL STORM TO HIT SOUTHERN ONTARIO. A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER OKLAHOMA THIS MORNING WILL DEEPEN INTO A MAJOR FALL STORM TODAY AND TRACK TO EASTERN LAKESUPERIOR BY WEDNESDAY MORNING. PRECIPITATION AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM HAS ALREADY REACHED PARTS OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO. THE PRECIPITATION IS IN THE FORM OF RAIN OVER SOUTHERN AREAS AND SNOW FURTHER NORTH. SNOW WILL CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN THIS AFTERNOON OVER THE OTTAWA VALLEY AND COTTAGE COUNTRY BEFORE CHANGING TO RAIN LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING.

A FREEZING RAIN WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THESE REGIONS.OVER MORE SOUTHERN AREAS RAIN AND THE ODD THUNDERSTORM WILL OCCUR AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT. THE FRONT WILL MOVE NORTH TONIGHT AND MANYREGIONS WILL ACTUALLY SEE TEMPERATURES RISE OVERNIGHT.

BY WEDNESDAY MORNING A STRONG COLD FRONT FROM THE LOW WILL HAVE CROSSED SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO AND WILL SWING THROUGH EASTERN ONTARIO DURING THE DAY. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO ACCOMPANY THEFRONT OVER SOME LOCALES WITH A FEW STRONG THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION WINDS WILL BECOME NORTHWEST WITH GUSTS TO 70 KM/H.THE COLD AIRMASS BEHIND THE FRONT WILL CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO FALLDURING THE DAY. LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY ALSO BEFOUND BY CONSULTING THE LATEST PUBLIC FORECAST.

Monday, November 14, 2005

Travel not recommended tonight in Saskatchewan
Strom moving into Ontario

It is a busy evening weatherwise with a major Colorado Low affecting the Prairies and moving into Ontario. Saskatchewan Highways is not recommending travel tonight due to strong winds and near zero visibility on most roads in the southern part of the province. 10-15cm of snow has fallen with cold temperatures and gusty winds.

In the east a Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for St. Lawrence County, NY with snow and freezing rain expected till noon tomorrow. In eastern Ontario a few cm of snow may fall before it changes to rain. There is a risk of some thunderstorm activity along the cold front Tuesday night into Wednesday. This will be followed by very strong gusty winds. These winds may reach warning criteria again.

Tropical Depression 27 has formed in the Atlantic and may become a storm later tonight.
Winter Storm Warning for Saskatchewan....

A developing winter storm is producing dangerous travel conditions across the southern half of the province today. Winds are gusting to 50km/h and stronger along with snow. Very low visibilities are being reported along and south of the Trans Canada Highway along with cold temperatures. These conditions will ease in the west by late today and overnight in the east as the storm moves into Manitoba. Warnings have been issued from Gravelbourg/Assiniboia east to the Manitoba border.

Friday, November 11, 2005


"Lest We Forget"
Please take time today to remember the sacrifices made by the thousands of Canadian Men and Women so that we can enjoy the freedom to Blog and do whatever else we want to in this great country.
Most communities are holding services this morning between 10:00-NOON, plan to attend if you can. Wear a Poppy.

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Lightning flashes across the
November sky and rain pounds
the windshield along the 401 Sunday night....
Wild weather today......
After this past weekends wild weather in the east, a break would be nice! But not today,because another round of rain, wind and even some snow is on the way.
The weekend was interesting across the St. Lawrence Valley. I drove home around 5pm on Sunday straight into that fierce cold front that had spawned the tornado in Indiana. The lightning was amazing to the west along the 401. It felt like July not November. I got off the highway in Summerstown, driving around a downed tree. It was hard to see on the 401. In all about 25mm of rain came down with the front. Winds were gusting between 60-100km/h along and behind the front.
Today: Heavy Snow Warnings are in effect for Southern Saskatchewan and Southern Manitoba, north of the Trans Canada. For Ontario and Quebec this system will mean another round of gusty winds and rain mixed with snow. Winter Storm Watches and Warnings are in effect for Northern Ontario and a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been posted for southwest Ontario. For the Upper Ottawa Valley, the precip will begin in the form of freezing rain and could last up to 4 hours fo places like Renfrew and Calabogie. As the cold front charges through later this afternoon, heavy rain and thunderstorms will develop like on Sunday. There is a chance of over 50mm of rain from Toronto to Kingston with 25mm or so from Kingston to Montreal.
There is even the chance of some Lake Effect snow as the next cold front races through late Wednesday and Thursday.

Sunday, November 06, 2005

Strong Winds Today...

A strong and deepening storm over Michigan this morning will slide into Ontario. Trailing from the storm is a cold front that is causing all kinds of severe weather. Big thunderstorms flared up overnight in the unseasonable warm and humid air to the east of the front. (It was 20C in Burlington, Vermont yesterday and in the 20's in New York State.) The front produced a tornado in Evansville, Indiana overnight, with a path 3/4mile wide and 20 miles in duration, killing at least 11 and injuring over 150.

High Wind Warnings have been posted for Ontario, Upstate New York, The Champlain and St. Lawrence Valley's and will be extended into Montreal later today. Caution is advised, as winds will approach 80km/h capable of knocking down trees and power lines. Passage of the front will be from 2pm on moving west to east from Kingston east into Quebec... Travel with care....

Happy Birthday PJ........

Thursday, November 03, 2005

Snow for Gravelbourg as well as
Northen Montana and North Dakota

A storm system sliding south of the border will give snow this afternoon and tonight across the area. A few centimetres of snow can be expected.

The following Snow Advisory is in effect for the northern Montana counties.

...SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON..
A SNOW ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM MST THIS AFTERNOON. THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO FALL ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA INTO THIS AFTERNOON. LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL ACCUMULATIONS...WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 2 AND 4 INCHES. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO ENDFROM WEST TO EAST TODAY. THE HIGHER SNOW AMOUNTS ARE LIKELY TO BEFOUND ON GRASSY SURFACES.A SNOW ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS ANDLIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.