Toronto expected to get snow just in time to make it a white Christmas

Whether or not Toronto will see a white Christmas in the bizarre year that is 2020 has been up for debate for quite some time now, but a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada Wednesday morning suggests it really might happen. 

The federal weather agency issued the statement warning of "potentially heavy rain followed by significant snow early Friday" at 10:01 a.m. this morning, and it says rain is likely to start as early as tonight ahead of an approaching low pressure system. 

The rain is expected to continue into Thursday and become heavy at times, according to Environment Canada, and total rainfall amounts of 15 to 25 mm are likely. 

"By Thursday evening or Thursday night, the rain is expected to change over to snow after the passage of a strong cold front," reads the statement. 

"Several centimetres of snowfall accumulation will be possible Thursday night through Friday morning, which is Christmas morning."

Today & much of Thursday will feel more like November; Mostly cloudy, peeks of sun & mild today; Windy & very mild tonight w/ showers late; Windy & periods of rain Thursday, changing to ice & snow late afternoon & evening; Snow overnight; White Christmas! Snow totals 10-15+ cm pic.twitter.com/rKJHM9ayIA

— Doug Gillham (@gtaweather1) December 23, 2020

In other words, it's looking like the snow may arrive just in time to create that magical winter feeling that waking up to a snow-blanketed city on Christmas morning provides. 

According to Environment Canada, the snow may cause hazardous driving conditions into Saturday morning, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem considering everyone is currently advised to stay home as much as possible.

And though the weather agency says some kind of storm is on its way, it also warns that the exact track of this low pressure system and the timing of the changeover from rain to snow remains uncertain.

"This will ultimately affect how much snow may fall at any particular location," reads the special weather statement.

So while the snowy forecast for Christmas Day isn't 100 per cent guaranteed, as weather forecasts never are, it's certainly more promising than Weather Network meteorologists saying "the Greater Toronto Area has a low chance of a White Christmas" less than one week ago.