Pre-winter cold snap hits Toronto, GTA

Toronto and the GTA are dealing with a bitter cold snap and biting winds with no relief at least into the weekend.

It’s a pre-winter deep freeze, with a high of – 7C with the wind chill closer to -16 C on Thursday.

There’s now a tie for coldest morning so far this season. It was -12 C at Pearson on Thursday morning, matching the temperature at Pearson on November 24. The average temperature for this time of year is normally 1 C.

The temperatures are down but the complaining is up. 680News talked to commuters who gave tips.

“Long johns on, double socks, thick boots and I’m ready to face the weather,” Greg explained.

“It’s all due to a westerly flow of winds,” CityNews weather specialist Frank Ferragine said.

“Those winds are going to continue, with gusts of about 30 to 50 kilometres per hour. That will bring a risk of flurries to Toronto.”

Environment Canada’s senior climatologist Dave Phillips said the frigid weather is likely going to continue for at least the next seven days.

Phillips also said the city could get some snow for Christmas.

“Two weeks away for Christmas, but this looks like it might very well might be a white Christmas this year. We didn’t have one last year. We only get about a 35 per cent chance in Toronto of having a white Christmas,” Phillips said.

He also said Toronto and the GTA could see the first significant snowfall of the season on Saturday, with up to 10 centimetres in the forecast.

Winter officially arrives at 12:11 p.m. ET on Dec. 21.

Click here to see the forecast for the next five days.

What do you do to handle the bitter cold? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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