Will Toronto break temperature records Tuesday?

Toronto residents could see the temperature drop from 13 C to -3 C within a few hours on Wednesday, prompting Environment Canada to issue a special weather statement for the city.

According to the federal weather agency, a strong cold front is expected to track through southern Ontario on Wednesday afternoon, causing temperatures to drop dramatically.

“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 its advisory.

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Strong northwesterly winds gusting to 70 or 80 km/h are also expected for much of Wednesday afternoon and evening.

Before the arrival of the cold front, the temperature is forecasted to reach a high of 13 C, which would set a new record. The warmest Feb. 28 on record in Toronto was in 1954 when the high was 11 C.

The warmth won’t last long. It will be mostly cloudy on Wednesday with a 60 per cent chance of rain showers in the morning before changing to flurries or ice pellets in the afternoon when the temperature drops to -3 C. The overnight low will be -7 C with a wind chill near -14.

On Thursday, it will be a mix of sun and clouds with a 40 per cent chance of flurries and a high of -2 C.

It will be sunny on Friday, with the temperature rising to a high of 5 C.

Toronto broke a temperature record earlier this month, as the temperatures rose to 11.4 C on Feb. 9—surpassing the previous record of 10.6 C set in 1938.