4 p.m. weather update

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT

ENVIRONMENT CANADA

************************** SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED FOR CITY OF THUNDER BAY - KENORA - NESTOR FALLS - DRYDEN - IGNACE - FORT FRANCES - RAINY LAKE - ATIKOKAN - UPSALA - QUETICO - SUPERIOR WEST - SIOUX LOOKOUT - SAVANT LAKE - LAKE NIPIGON - WABAKIMI - GERALDTON - MANITOUWADGE - HORNEPAYNE - WAWA - WHITE RIVER - PUKASKWA - CHAPLEAU - GOGAMA - KIRKLAND LAKE - NEW LISKEARD - TEMAGAMI - ELLIOT LAKE - RANGER LAKE - MANITOULIN - NORTHSHORE - KILLARNEY - NORTH BAY - WEST NIPISSING.

A SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL THURSDAY OVER NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO, PATCHY FREEZING RAIN POSSIBLE OVER AREAS EAST OF LAKE SUPERIOR AND THE NICKEL BELT.

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEVELOPING OVER THE SOUTHERN PLAINS STATES IS EXPECTED TO TRACK NORTHEAST TO MINNESOTA TONIGHT THEN INTO WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR ON THURSDAY.

THIS SYSTEM IS GOING TO BRING A SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL LATE OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY TO MOST OF NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO WITH A GENERAL 15 CM BLANKET OF FRESH SNOW EXPECTED ACROSS AREAS EAST OF KENORA AND WEST OR NORTH OF THUNDER BAY.

AS A RESULT SNOWFALL WARNINGS HAVE BEEN ISSUED.

OTHER AREAS WILL RECEIVE 5 TO 10 CM WITH LESSER AMOUNTS NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR DUE TO WET SNOW OR A CHANGE TO RAIN.

THE LATEST INDICATIONS SUGGEST THE RAIN-SNOW LINE WILL EXTEND NORTHEAST ACROSS THE SUPERIOR WEST REGION TOWARDS GERALDTON.

AS A RESULT THESE REGIONS WILL SEE VARIOUS MIXES OF RAIN AND WET SNOW, ALONG WITH A POSSIBILITY OF FREEZING RAIN.

PRECIPITATION WITHIN A FEW KILOMETRES OF THE LAKE SUPERIOR SHORE INCLUDING THE CITY OF THUNDER BAY IS EXPECTED TO BE PRIMARILY RAIN, ALTHOUGH SOME WET SNOW ALONG WITH A BIT OF FREEZING RAIN TONIGHT IS QUITE POSSIBLE.

WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO QUICKLY DETERIORATE BEGINNING TONIGHT AS THE SNOW ARRIVES.

LOW VISIBILITY FROM HEAVIER SNOW AND ACCUMULATING SNOW ON UNTREATED ROADS WILL RESULT IN HAZARDOUS WINTER DRIVING CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY THURSDAY.

MOTORISTS SHOULD ADJUST TRAVEL PLANS ACCORDINGLY.

SNOWFALL WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR MANY OF THESE REGIONS INLAND FROM LAKE SUPERIOR LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.

LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY ALSO BE FOUND BY CONSULTING THE LATEST PUBLIC FORECAST.

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