Keep us posted Jiries..I'm becoming interested in the Canadian and US winter climates. How much snow depth is Toronto recording at the moment ?

Apologies for intruding but you can check the snow depths here, Steve. http://climate.weather.gc.ca/climateData/dailydata_e.html?StationID=51459

8cm as of yesterday [at the airport]. Generally speaking snow depths in T.O. are never that high due to a number of factors including being well out of the snowbelts where lake-effect delivers, in the middle of an expansive metropolitan area and also proximity to the lake keeping winters much warmer than the likes of Ottawa. Depths over 25cm are infrequent and don't usually last that long. Though January 1999 was a famous exception to this rule (army were called in to help with snow clearing in Toronto, much to the amusement/scorn of Canadians elsewhere!). To be fair there was 46" (118cm) - basically an average year's worth - of snowfall in 10 days.

Ottawa currently has 26cm on the ground, Quebec City 36cm, Charlottetown, PEI 54cm and St John's NF 90cm (down from 103cm a few days ago!). That's a nice indication of the relatively unsnowy Toronto climate (by Canadian standards of course!). That said you don't need to go far from the city to get into some real snowy terrain (heading north to Barrie and the Georgian Bay snowbelts is usually a good bet, or west to London, Ont.).

Excellent pics

Hi folks, quick post, i've just arrived back in Hamilton and the thaw is on, polar vortex someone from Scotland just reported arrived there? I'm guessing significantly modified!!

Thought i'd post this pic in relation to Niagara Falls and it being frozen. the American falls have indeed froze but the CAndian ones still going, flooding will be a concern not just there but also around here this weekend with temps of 8-10c and nearly an inch of rain forecast Saturday. I've brought Ayrshire's weather back to Ontario

Have a great weekend folks

Great photo's.

Thanks for the link Graeme and for the info Jiries.

BTW...the cold front responsible for the huge drop in temperature across Canada and Eastern US on Monday afternoon and evening crossed the UK yesterday afternoon. With the arrival of this fresher (massively modified airmass) the temperature fell from 10c to 7c ! 

I note with interest that even at Tampa in Florida the air temperature fell to 1c (34f) at 8am on Tuesday morning, following on from a pre cold front max of 22c (72f) earlier on Monday. 

We even managed a grass frost last night because of it. 

The mild weather taking place here with snow melting quickly on shallow areas with roads and paths cleared now but very dull and misty here.  Still a lot of snow cover on some areas but looking dirtier now.  Looking at the latest models showing prolonged cold and quite snowy weather as the LP stall over Ontario with next Thursday have a main risk of snowfall which perfect timing for my birthday. Prior to that and after that decent snow flurries at 60% and they had been hinting that another deep arctic shot for 19th Jan and it now appearing on 180z range.  Sorry cannot post links as my cousin's laptop doesn't have a property where I used to copy URL.  I will keep watching the deep cold air if will really going to happen or not.

Overall I am really looking forward to it for next week action.

Stunning pic shame the cold is clearing off for you Stewart

I think you mean Stewart, Marcus!

We're into the classic 'January thaw' for eastern Canada and the States this weekend - hardly a January goes by without one of these intrusions of very mild, moist air, which as noted above by Tally has made it right up into central Quebec. It's currently above freezing in every major Canadian city from Toronto eastwards.

Typically though the thaw doesn't last long and such is the case this year with colder air set to return from west to east commencing Tuesday, although Atlantic Canada may well stay mild for much of the week.

For the Golden Horseshoe it looks chilly and unsettled from Tuesday onwards with temps back below freezing. Still a bit early to call but there could be some really quite cold arctic air in the mix later in the week along with a few snow opportunities. I'm sure you'll be welcoming this Jiries (and Stewart)!

Meanwhile it's January thaw time out west too with a chinook week in store for Calgary after a cool day today - daytime temps in the +3c to +10c range. Much milder for much of the Prairies too after a brutal few weeks of cold. Temperatures this week will generally be above average, especially in the west.

Didn't I put that

That is the bit I hate about a cold spell.................the thaw,  huh, I suppose it would be good to get the cold in the first place

Now I just look stupid.

I meant to add, I'm heading over to Toronto in May to catch a few Blue Jays games (and other less important stuff ). So if we could have wall-to-wall sun and +23c arranged for then, I'd be grateful.

[Edit: Oh, and a new front of the rotation starter.]

If you look at Quebec ensembles I think you are safe with uppers on the average of -15C and snow around while Toronto also looking good after tomorrow last day of thaw and 5c max temps.  Snow still around but not on roads and pavements but quite lof of flooding and standing water that are trapped between ice.

Hey do you live in TO now?

Saturday is looking like a very cold day for you Jiries with 850Hpa temps dropping to -17c. Plenty of snow opportunities before then too.

Was just chatting to a friend who went Mont-tremblant QC as a skiing instructor - she said it was -16c last week the day she arrived but the past two days they have had solid rain and temperatures of +6-8c and the skiing conditions are like a death trap! - She must have brought the British weather with her!

Here is the weather:

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/weather/canada/quebec/mont-tremblant

Cool how long are you there for?