Cold Weather Conditions Sweep Across Ontario as Spring Approach Lingers
Residents across Ontario are feeling winter's grip this March 17, 2025, with significant temperature drops and weather changes marking the day. While recent expectations of warmth hinted at early spring, many parts of the province awoke to frigid conditions reminiscent of deep winter.
For Dryden and Vermilion Bay, the morning kicked off with temperatures plummeting to -14.5°C. With northeast winds at 8 km/h, residents braved wind chills as severe as -20°C, resulting not only in low visibility but high humidity levels at 88%. "The chilly weather got everyone bundled up early this morning," noted one local resident.
The forecast for the day included light snow, with about 2 cm expected throughout the morning, along with increasing winds reaching 20 km/h by the afternoon. Pleasantly, temperatures were predicted to rise slightly throughout the day, peaking at -1°C, improving to -5°C, though the wind chill remained notable. The evening, sadly, won't see any reprieve as temperatures are set to drop once more to -10°C.
Moving west, Kenora and Lake of the Woods residents experienced similarly frosty conditions this morning, with temperature readings at -12°C and corresponding wind chills of -18°C. Despite the cold start, conditions throughout the day hinted at some possible reprieve. Expecting another day of mixed sun and clouds, local meteorologists outlined a 40% chance of flurries, with light winds shifting from the east to the northeast by late morning.
Interestingly, record temperatures have marked March 17th historically, with the warmest at 15.2°C documented back in 2012 and the chilling opposite reaching -36.7°C on the coldest day of record. This backdrop of weather extremes only adds weight to the anticipation of warming conditions.
Sudbury’s residents woke up to even colder weather, experiencing temperatures of -13.1°C. Similar to Dryden, the wind chill made conditions feel as frigid as -19°C. Clear visibility, though chilly at 85% humidity, dominated the skies during the early hours.
The sun might power through by late morning, but don't let the sunny appearance fool you. With wind chills hovering near -16°C, people are advised to dress warmly. The afternoon high, predicted to reach 1°C, will not sufficiently warm away the early morning’s bitterness.
Later tonight, the sky will cloud over with increased chances of flurries, and temperatures are expected to settle back down to -5°C. Wednesday threatens to introduce more mixed weather, as warmer air sets the stage for fluctuations with rain and snow, putting residents along Sudbury on notice for unpredictable weather shifts.
Weather trivia typically runs amok this time of year. For example, Sudbury's history shows March 17th extremes reaching as low as -32.2°C recorded back in 1965. A local veteran resident cited, "This week is proof of unpredictable spring weather!" as they reflected on the bizarre shifts.
A mixed bag of weather scenarios seems on the horizon: by Thursday, areas like Sudbury could see substantial snow along with strong winds, once again ushering winter back to the fore as temperatures fall to -13°C. It’s as if Mother Nature is undecided and shifting gears between the two seasons.
Keen residents can take solace: as uncomfortable as the cold may seem now, history shows warmer days will inevitably come.
While today marks yet another cold start, the promise of warmer air looms around the corner. Dressing appropriately for the quick transitions of March will remain key.
Stay tuned as the forecast develops—you never know when the next wave of warm air might arrive, bringing with it the pleasant bursts of spring after winter's cold farewell.