Dramatic temperature swing could bring high winds, icy conditions to GTA | CBC News

A dramatic temperature swing could bring strong winds and sudden icy conditions to the GTA on Wednesday, Environment Canada cautions.

Temperatures are expected to plummet from a high of 13 C this afternoon to -2 C as an intense cold front moves through southern Ontario, the federal weather agency says.

“We are essentially going to be going from spring-like conditions to the thrusts of winter, where we should be this time of year,” said Brad Rousseau, a meteorologist at Environment Canada.

The plunge in temperature will likely be preceded by rain showers beginning around noon. The rain is forecast to change to ice pellets or flurries later in the afternoon.

“The sudden temperature drop may lead to icy surfaces as temperatures fall below the freezing mark through the day. Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions,” Environment Canada said in a special weather statement for the GTA.

Sustained winds of 40 km/h will develop through the afternoon and evening, with some gusts reaching up to 70 km/h, according to the statement.

Meanwhile, lake effect snow is expected to develop off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay. 

That means some areas in the northern stretches of the GTA could see blasts of snowfall of up to 2 cm, Rousseau said, while large swathes of the province  

The temperature is forecast to fall -5 C by tonight, though it will feel more like -13 with the wind chill.