A rare weather phenomenon strikes southern Ontario again
Thundersnow has struck southern Ontario for a second time this month.
The weather phenomenon takes place when lightning and thunder strike during a snowfall.
CTV News Toronto Weather Anchor Lyndsay Morrison said thunder and lightning has been reported during a sudden snowfall on Wednesday afternoon around downtown Toronto, Burlington, Hamilton, on the QEW toward Niagara, in the Kawarthas, and near Woodstock.
“While thundersnow feels uncommon, it’s certainly not unheard of,” Morrison said.
“What’s unique about this season is that we’ve had two thundersnow events this March where it has happened in the most populated part of our country, so there have been lots of people witnessing it, recording it and reporting it!”
According to the Farmer's Almanac, thunderstorms occur when an air mass becomes so unstable that it overturns violently, usually when drastically different temperatures meet.
Local residents were quick to chronicle the “fast and furious” arrival of the spring snow, paired with a crack of thunder and lightning.
Thundersnow last struck southern Ontario less than a month ago as a major snowstorm hammered the region on March 3.
This time around, on Wednesday, a sharp cold front rushed through Toronto, bringing a “burst of heavy wet snow” after a sunny morning that began to resemble typical spring weather.
Environment Canada issued a weather advisory in Toronto for Wednesday, forecasting one to two centimetres of snow, paired with winds gusting up to 70 km/h.
With files from CTV News Toronto's Abby O'Brien
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.