Thundersnow strikes parts of Ontario as winter storm blows through province

While some Ontarians experienced some nasty winter weather early Tuesday morning, others reported experiencing something a little different as a thundersnow storm hit parts of the province.

In the Facebook group Ontario Winter Storms, people posted reports of hearing thunder and lightning in Woodstock, Hamilton and Simcoe.

“There was indeed a rare thundersnow detected as a sharp, arctic cold front moved across southern Ontario Monday night into Tuesday morning,” Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said.

The weather specialist went on to provide details on how a thundersnow is created.

“It’s the same mechanism that causes thunder and lightning in warmer season thunderstorms along cold fronts — a sharp contrast in temperature causes air pockets to climb quickly upward into the atmosphere,” Hull explained.

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“This creates a charge imbalance within the updraft of the cloud and in order for balance to be achieved — you get a lightning strike.”

While lightning was seen in some parts of the province, rather large amounts of snow landed upon some other areas.

Lisa Chadwick, who runs the Beachside Patio Bar & Bakery in Sauble Beach, told Global News that the area had received 30 cm over a 24-hour period.

She posted a photo of the well-known Sauble Beach sign, which showed drifts reaching up to a nearby stop sign.

While many in the province started their Tuesday snow shovelling snow, it may feel like Groundhog Day on Wednesday morning with more winter weather is on its way, according to Hull.

“Another clipper system is moving in later this afternoon into this evening which will bring more snow to southern Ontario,” he said.

“It looks to be around 5 cm for the GTHA with heavier amounts to the east of Georgian Bay and Lake Huron where there will be some lake enhancement.”