Environment Canada has upgraded a weather alert to a Winter Storm Warning that blankets most of Northwestern Ontario.
At the same time, Manitoba is bracing for what is being termed ‘the storm of the decade.’
Meteorologist Steven Flisfeder says the storm should start tonight or early Wednesday morning.
We can now expect anywhere between 30 and 50 centimetres of snow along with strong winds heading into Friday.
The heaviest snow is expected to fall Wednesday night and Thursday across an area that extends from the Manitoba Border through Kenora, Dryden, Fort Frances, Red Lake and Sioux Lookout.
Flisfeder says areas closer to the Ontario/Manitoba boundary will likely see more snow, while areas further to the east like Atikokan and Thunder Bay should see more rain.
The heavy snow will be accompanied by wind gusts of up to 70 kilometres an hour.
Visibility will be poor and non-essential travel is not recommended. Motorists should be prepared for highway closures.
Residents should also be prepared for power outages.
A Colorado Low Pressure System is to blame.
