Environment Canada has issued a “yellow warning” for wind in the southern Kawarthas region for Monday (December 29), along with a special weather statement for wind in the northern Kawarthas region — possibly exacerbating the impact of freezing rain falling in the region on Sunday.
Strong southwesterly winds are expected to develop Monday morning with the passage of a strong cold front. The winds will become northwesterly through the afternoon. The winds will ease through Monday evening.
A yellow wind warning is in effect for southern Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes (including both southern and northern Kawartha Lakes), and Northumberland County. A special weather statement for wind is in effect for northern Peterborough County, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.
Areas with the yellow wind warning can expect to see strong wind gusts of 70 to 90 km/h, except in Northumberland County which can expect wind gusts of 80 to 90 km/h and up to 100 km/h near Lake Ontario on Monday afternoon. Areas with the special weather statement for wind will see wind gusts up to 70 km/h.
In addition to the yellow wind warning, Environment Canada previously issued two additional yellow warnings for the southern Kawarthas region (southern Peterborough County, southern Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland County): one for freezing rain with 5 to 15 mm of ice accretion into early Monday morning and one for rainfall amounts of 10 to 15 mm into early Monday morning.
In the northern Kawarthas region (northern Peterborough County, northern Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands), Environment Canada has issued an orange warning for freezing rain, with 15 to 20 mm of ice accretion (build-up) into early Monday morning, in addition to a special weather statement for wind — except in northern Kawartha Lakes, where there is a yellow warning for wind.
The strong wind gusts on Monday could worsen the impact of freezing rain in the region on Sunday, especially in areas with significant ice build-up, likely resulting in prolonged utility outages.
The good news is that temperatures will rise overnight above freezing, with the freezing rain changing mostly to rain in the southern parts of the region by early Monday morning, although a risk of freezing rain or freezing drizzle remains.
The precipitation will then change to flurries early Monday morning and, as temperatures drop below freezing throughout the day, there will be flurries with a risk of snow squalls in some areas.
