LAKE NIPIGON — Drivers and residents around the Lake Nipigon area should be careful on the roads Thursday, as Environment Canada has issued a snow squall watch.
The advisory, announced by Environment Canada Thursday morning will remain in effect until Friday afternoon and warns of hazards including possible local snowfall amounts of 15 to 20 centimetres by Friday afternoon, and a significant reduction in visibilities in heavy snow.
“The squalls will be developing off of Lake Nipigon to the south and southeast of like Nipigon with those northerlies because Lake Nipigon is largely ice free still,” said Peter Kimbell, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada.
“Between say, Cameron Falls and Jellicoe basically, that's the part of Hwy 11 [that] is really going to be particularly affected by snow squalls in the next 24 hours.”
The watch is in effect for places including Beardmore, Jellicoe and Macdiarmid.
Environment Canada said that as the winds shift from northwesterly to westerly Friday afternoon, the snow squalls are expected to weaken to lighter flurries.
Snow squalls cause weather conditions to vary considerably; changes from clear skies to heavy snow within just a few kilometres are common.
Environment Canada says travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather and that, surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.
For road conditions and other traveller information from the Ministry of Transportation, visit Ontario 511’s website or call 511.
Environment Canada urges residents to continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued and to report severe weather by sending an email to [email protected] or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
