After a brief respite of mild temperatures, winter is returning to the Kawarthas region starting Monday night (March 16).
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for strong winds and snow for Peterborough County, Kawartha Lakes, Northumberland County, Haliburton County, and Hastings Highlands.
Strong southwest winds gusting to 70 km/h are expected to develop Monday afternoon with the passage of a sharp Arctic cold front.
As much colder Arctic air enters the region, with overnight temperatures dropping to -15°C, snow is expected to rapidly develop.
Snowfall amounts of 5 to 10 cm are possible by Tuesday morning, with some areas possibly receiving 10 to 15 cm. Winds will veer to the west Monday night then slowly start to ease Tuesday morning.
High winds may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break, with local utility outages possible. Blowing and drifting snow, especially in exposed areas, will cause a sudden return to winter driving conditions.
