It seems like it's been a while since our last big snowstorm. But it's really only been a week or so since we last got blasted by Old Man Winter. Public Enemy Number One may have been on hiatus but he's on his way back with a vengeance and he's bringing a lot of souvenirs with him.
Among the goodies he'll be carrying from his travels: a low pressure system from Nebraska, freezing rain, high winds and lots and lots of snow.
The storm is expected to start Monday night in the form of flurries but will intensify just in time for your drive in to work. Forecasters are calling for 5-15 centimetres of the packed powder, even as city crews continue their relentless efforts to get rid of what's already come down.
The best guess: 2-6 cm will fall between 3am and 1pm Tuesday, with a rain-snow mix complicating the commute home. By 5pm, we could have another 2-5 additional centimetres on the ground.
And it will go on all night, with forecasters figuring a 5pm-3am fall of another 1-3cm more before you get up Wednesday to shovel it all away. Winds gusting from 40-60 kilometres an hour are expected to make that a lot tougher.
Most admit that after a few relatively calm days without anything major brewing, they're not looking forward to the slippery, slush filled hard-to-drive-on slow roads of the city that always accompany every disturbance. "For us going to school, commuting is going to be hard," shudders Cindy Chelliah.
Pedestrians, still walking on rut-filled icy sidewalks, aren't expecting anything good, either.
Areas closer to Lake Erie and Lake Ontario are expected to get the bulk of it, and unlike past weather events, those up north will see lesser accumulations. But no one's looking forward to going through it all over again.
And if you think we've been hit hard this year, you're right. There's already been 69 centimetres of snow this month alone, the most since 1950.
After completing the removal of more than 50,000 truckloads of snow during the emergency $20 million clean-up, the city is preparing its so-called 'storm' troopers for this latest battle.
"We're a little bit ahead of schedule which is good, and with the storm coming we've created additional storage for the snow if we need to go plowing," explains Toronto Transportation's Myles Currie. "So the city should be in good shape once the snow starts to fly."
Is there any money left to get rid of the rest? Currie says you shouldn't worry. "Our budget's $67 million for this year, and we have approximately $11 to $12 million in a snow reserve. So I think we're in good shape."
But in the grand tradition of Yogi Berra, 'it ain't over till it's over.' Once the snow stops on Wednesday, a bitter Arctic air will take its place, resulting in two very cold days with wind chills touching -20.
And this weather proves no good deed goes unpunished - when it gets a bit warmer, it's likely to get a lot snowier again, with yet another 5-10 centimetres possible by Friday.
How unusual is the wicked winter of 2007-2008? Consider this: we normally see only two storms with more than 10cm of snow in an average season. This year we've already had five and with more in the forecast right into early March, officials say we could break a winter record set back in 1939.
Still, not everyone is freaked out by the endless blow. "I spent two years living in Sudbury," one local observes. "So they have a ton more snow there than they have here, so it's not a big deal."
But those who say it is may want to know that spring officially arrives March 20th. If you can get out of your front door by then to welcome it in.
- City workers say drivers can do their part by moving cars off the road and into driveways. And don't forget, you have 12 hours after a storm to clear the walkway in front of your house. More than 3,000 warnings have been issued and despite the fact most believe it's rarely enforced, some 300 people have been fined since the last storm.
Check the 7-day forecast
From the archives:
What to look for in a snow plow