Thunderclaw

🕒 Canada’s Time Differences Are Getting a Shakeup This Winter! Most of Ontario will turn the clocks back one hour tonight, but several provinces are keeping their summer clock time all year long. That means some familiar time differences across Canada are about to look a little different! Starting Sunday, Toronto will be on the SAME time as Winnipeg, just ONE hour ahead of Calgary and Regina, and only TWO hours ahead of Vancouver. That’s a big change from last winter, when Toronto was one hour ahead of Winnipeg, two hours ahead of Calgary and three hours ahead of Vancouver! Parts of Northwestern Ontario are also saying goodbye to seasonal clock changes. Communities including Kenora, Dryden and Fort Frances will keep their current time and line up with the rest of Ontario throughout the winter. Some communities, including Atikokan and Pickle Lake, have already been keeping the same clock time year-round. So why is most of Ontario still changing its clocks? 🤔 Ontario passed legislation in 2020 to make daylight time permanent, but it hasn’t taken effect across the province. Ontario has emphasized the importance of coordinating a broader change with Quebec and New York. Quebec has announced plans to end its clock changes, although it hasn’t yet decided whether to keep standard time or daylight time all year. There’s also been some movement in the United States, where the House passed the Sunshine Protection Act in July. However, it still needs Senate approval and hasn’t become law. Proposals in New York remain in committee, and current U.S. federal rules don’t allow states to independently stay on daylight time year-round. For now, there’s no confirmed change for New York and no automatic change coming for the rest of Ontario. For those falling back tonight, sunrise and sunset will both happen roughly an hour earlier by the clock. That means brighter mornings, but darkness will arrive earlier in the evening. We aren’t actually losing an hour of daylight because of the clock change! Meanwhile, places keeping their summer time will see later sunrises AND later sunsets compared to what they would have experienced if they had turned their clocks back. Our map shows how the clocks will compare across Canada at the same moment after Sunday’s changes. Would you rather keep standard time or daylight time all year? - Brennen

#ONStorm #ONwx 🎃 ONTARIO ZOMBIE WATCH: Your Halloween Trick-or-Treat Forecast! 👻 There’s some ghoulishly good news for trick-or-treaters across Southern Ontario! Most areas should enjoy a dry Halloween evening, although some ghosts and goblins will need a few extra layers under their costumes. 🥶 Our map shows the expected temperature around 8 PM on Saturday, October 31, so you can see what it might feel like while you’re out collecting candy. These are not the daytime highs! The mildest conditions will haunt Windsor, Leamington and the rest of Essex County, where temperatures should be around 10 to 12°C. Further northeast, Chatham, Sarnia, and London will be closer to 6-10°C. That 6 to 10°C range stretches through much of Huron, Perth, Grey and Bruce counties, including Goderich, Kincardine, Owen Sound, Hanover, Stratford and Listowel. However, a chill will be creeping into the higher terrain around Dundalk and Shelburne, where temperatures are expected to be closer to 4 to 6°C. Orangeville, Mount Forest, Fergus, Guelph and Kitchener-Waterloo remain in the broader 6 to 10°C zone. Across the GTA, Toronto, Mississauga, Newmarket and Oshawa should be around 6 to 10°C. The more elevated areas near Uxbridge will be cooler at 4 to 6°C, so be sure to check your community’s colour on the map. Hamilton and Niagara will also be in the 6 to 10°C range. Around southern Georgian Bay and Lake Simcoe, Collingwood, Barrie and Orillia will be near 6 to 10°C. Cooler conditions take over around Midland, Bracebridge, Huntsville and Haliburton, where 4 to 6°C is expected. The 4 to 6°C zone also includes Lindsay, Peterborough and Bancroft. Along the eastern Lake Ontario corridor, Belleville and Kingston should be milder at 6 to 10°C, with Brockville closer to 4 to 6°C. Some of the chilliest conditions will be lurking across Eastern Ontario and the Ottawa Valley. Ottawa, Cornwall, Smiths Falls, Renfrew and Pembroke will be around 2 to 4°C, so a warm layer under that costume is a good idea! Check your community’s forecast before heading out. An extra layer might not be part of your costume’s spooky transformation, but it could keep the candy hunt going a little longer! 🍬 Wishing everyone a safe and spooky Halloween! 🎃 - Brennen

⏰ It’s almost time to ‘fall back’ across most of Ontario, but there’s an important change in the northwest this year! On Sunday, November 1 at 2:00 AM, clocks turn back to 1:00 AM across Southern Ontario, Northeastern Ontario and Thunder Bay. Set your manual clocks back one hour before heading to bed Saturday night! However, Northwestern Ontario’s Central Time communities, including Kenora, Dryden and Fort Frances, will NOT turn their clocks back. They’re staying on the same time year-round to remain aligned with Manitoba. Communities such as Atikokan and Pickle Lake that already keep the same time year-round will continue doing so. Yes, Thunder Bay still falls back! Not all of Northwestern Ontario follows the same time rules. For areas changing clocks, mornings will be brighter earlier on the clock, but the trade-off is earlier sunsets. We aren’t losing an hour of actual daylight because of the time change. It’s simply shifting earlier in our daily schedules! On Sunday, sunrise will be around 6:53 AM in Toronto, with sunset at 5:08 PM. Ottawa will see sunrise at 6:42 AM and sunset at just 4:49 PM! Farther southwest, Windsor gets sunrise at 7:05 AM and sunset at 5:25 PM. Across the north, Sudbury’s sunrise will be around 7:05 AM, with sunset at 5:08 PM. Thunder Bay will see sunrise at 7:43 AM and sunset at 5:37 PM. Meanwhile, Kenora, which isn’t changing its clocks, will have sunrise at 8:07 AM and sunset at 5:55 PM. All times are local. An extra hour after Halloween sounds like a treat! 🎃😴 But our body clocks don’t adjust instantly. Sleep and daily routines can feel a little off, and pets or younger children may wake earlier than you’d hoped. Keeping a consistent routine and getting outside during daylight can help with the adjustment. With the evening commute and after-school activities happening closer to sunset, plan for reduced visibility and give yourself extra time to watch for pedestrians and cyclists. Wherever you live, this is also a good reminder to test your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and check their batteries, following the manufacturer’s replacement instructions. Are you looking forward to brighter mornings, or dreading those earlier evenings? - Brennen

⚠️ Monitoring Ongoing Chemical Leak in Toledo, Ohio for Potential Impacts in Southwestern Ontario We are closely monitoring an ongoing hazardous chemical leak in Toledo, Ohio, just across the border from Southwestern Ontario, for any potential impacts on our side of the border. The incident began late Tuesday evening, prompting officials to order evacuations and shelter-in-place measures in parts of North Toledo. Officials have also expressed concerns about a potential explosion as crews work to contain the leak. The chemical involved has been identified as glycidyl methacrylate, an industrial chemical that can pose health risks if inhaled or through direct exposure. Given Toledo’s proximity to Windsor and Essex County, we are keeping a close eye on the situation, particularly the potential for airborne chemicals to travel across the border. The good news is that current wind patterns are carrying the air away from Southwestern Ontario. However, wind direction can change, so we will continue monitoring conditions closely. At this point, there is no indication of a threat to communities on the Canadian side of the border. We want to emphasize that we are monitoring this out of an abundance of caution. We will provide further updates if there is any indication of a potential impact on our region. - Brennen

Aurora Potential Tonight Based on current conditions, your best chance to catch the Northern Lights is across northern sections of Central and Eastern Ontario, where the aurora may be visible along the northern horizon. However, a substorm may be imminent, which could boost aurora activity and push the lights much farther south, potentially giving more of Southern Ontario a chance to see them! Skies are mostly clear across the region, but a nearly full Moon will make the aurora harder to see until it sets around 2 AM. If you’re heading out, find a dark location away from city lights with a clear view of the northern horizon. 📸 Photography tip: Use your phone’s Night Mode or a camera on a tripod with a long exposure. Try night mode settings of several seconds, keep your camera steady, and take a few shots even if the aurora looks faint to your eyes. Your camera may capture colours that are difficult to see in person!

#ONStorm #ONwx ❄️ Parts of Southern Ontario Could See First S***fall of the Season This Weekend I’ve listened to your complaints… many of you were done with the red crayons, so I’ve swapped them out for a blue crayon! 🖍️😈 As we mentioned yesterday, weather models were hinting at the potential for wet snow in parts of Southern Ontario tonight into Saturday morning. That still appears likely, as lingering moisture from a departing system, combined with some lake-effect precipitation, is expected to transition over to wet flurries early Saturday morning. The most likely areas to see the first flakes of the season include the higher elevations of the Dundalk Highlands, as well as northern sections of Central Ontario, where slightly colder temperatures will increase the chances of snow mixing in with the rain. This includes Orangeville, Mount Forest, Markdale, Alliston, Algonquin Park, Huntsville, Haliburton, Bancroft and Barry’s Bay. The good news is that we aren’t expecting any significant accumulation! Most of the snow that falls should melt on contact with the still relatively warm ground. However, we could see a light dusting on grassy surfaces, especially in the higher elevations where temperatures will be a little colder. For most areas, unless you’re awake early Saturday morning, you likely won’t even know it snowed, as any accumulation should melt quite quickly. So, if you aren’t ready for the wintery jumpscare just yet, maybe consider sleeping in. 😂 The potential for wet snow should come to an end by late Saturday morning as temperatures rise above the freezing mark. And for those who aren’t quite ready to say goodbye to fall, there’s some more good news! At least in the short term, we aren’t seeing much potential for additional flurries until closer to the end of the month. Of course, that could change, but it looks like this first taste of winter will be short-lived! Are you ready for the first flurries of the season, or would you prefer Mother Nature hold off a little longer? 👀 - Brennen ——— Thank you to our sponsor, Xolar: Energy For The Future! ☀️⚡️ As the leaves start changing, it’s also a reminder that winter isn’t too far away. And with winter storms comes the possibility of power outages from heavy snow, freezing rain and strong winds. That’s where having a reliable backup can make a big difference! Xolar Inc is a Canadian-owned solar installation company providing solar and battery backup systems for homeowners and businesses across Canada. A battery backup can help keep essential parts of your home powered when the grid goes down, giving you some extra peace of mind heading into storm season. ❄️🔋 Right now, Xolar Inc is offering members of the Instant Weather community an additional $2,500 off any solar and battery backup installation, on top of up to $10,000 in available provincial rebates for solar + battery. If you’re thinking about preparing your home for the upcoming winter, you can request a solar + battery quote from Xolar Inc and claim the special $2,500 Instant Weather offer at the link below! LEARN MORE: xolar.ca/partners/instant-we…

#ONStorm #ONwx ❄️ From 30°C Heat to First Snowfall of the Season Possible This Weekend! Please put down the pitchforks… because you might need a snow brush instead this weekend! 👀 After enjoying summer-like temperatures approaching 30°C earlier this week, we are now closely monitoring the potential for the first lake-effect flurries of the season in parts of Southern Ontario this weekend. A system is expected to bring widespread light to moderate rainfall across Southern Ontario on Friday. Farther north, some of that precipitation could fall as wet snow, particularly north of Sudbury. However, as the system moves out of our region late Friday, it is expected to usher in a blast of colder air, with temperatures dropping to near or slightly below freezing overnight Friday into Saturday morning. Combined with lingering moisture from the departing system, these colder temperatures, especially the much colder air higher up in the atmosphere, could create favourable conditions for lake-effect precipitation to develop off the Great Lakes. Current indications suggest that some of this precipitation could transition to wet snow after midnight, with flurries potentially continuing into Saturday morning. The best chance of seeing lake-effect snow appears to be in the higher elevations northwest of the GTA, including the Dundalk Highlands and Blue Mountain areas south of Georgian Bay. We could also see some scattered flurries across parts of Central and Eastern Ontario as the departing system pulls away. Now, before you start digging out the snow shovels, we aren’t expecting much of this snow to actually accumulate. The ground is still relatively warm, which should limit how much snow can stick. That said, temperatures could be cold enough for a light dusting of snow in some areas, particularly across higher elevations during the early morning hours on Saturday. There is still some uncertainty regarding exactly where the rain could transition to snow and whether temperatures will be cold enough for any accumulation. It’s certainly quite the turnaround from the summer-like heat we experienced just a few days ago! We’ll have more details in a full forecast as we get closer to the weekend. Stay tuned! - Brennen ——— Thank you to our sponsor, Xolar: Energy For The Future! ☀️⚡️ As the leaves start changing, it’s also a reminder that winter isn’t too far away. And with winter storms comes the possibility of power outages from heavy snow, freezing rain and strong winds. That’s where having a reliable backup can make a big difference! Xolar Inc is a Canadian-owned solar installation company providing solar and battery backup systems for homeowners and businesses across Canada. A battery backup can help keep essential parts of your home powered when the grid goes down, giving you some extra peace of mind heading into storm season. ❄️🔋 Right now, Xolar Inc is offering members of the Instant Weather community an additional $2,500 off any solar and battery backup installation, on top of up to $10,000 in available provincial rebates for solar + battery. If you’re thinking about preparing your home for the upcoming winter, you can request a solar + battery quote from Xolar Inc and claim the special $2,500 Instant Weather offer at the link below! LEARN MORE: xolar.ca/partners/instant-we…