Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning on Christmas Eve for much of the greater Kawarthas region. Several hours of freezing rain are expected on Thursday night (December 24), particularly over higher terrain. Up to 5 mm of ice accumulation is possible.
The freezing rain warning has been issued for northern Peterborough County including Apsley, southern Peterborough County including Peterborough and Lakefield, all of Kawartha Lakes including Fenelon Falls and Lindsay, all of Haliburton County including Haliburton and Minden, and Hastings Highlands including Bancroft.
The freezing rain will develop late in the evening and continue into Friday morning. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery, and hazardous. Power outages may occur.
Eventually, all precipitation will switch over to snow, and as much as 5 to 10 cm of snow is expected by mid-morning on Friday in some areas of the Kawarthas.
For Northumberland County including Cobourg and Belleville-Quinte West, a rainfall warning is in effect.
Heavy rainfall totalling 30 to 50 mm is expected to develop Thursday and continue into Friday. The frozen ground will have a reduced ability to absorb this rainfall.
Rain will ease to showers and then turn to snow flurries on Friday.
This story has been updated to include southern Peterborough County in the freezing rain warning.
