Get ready: 10 cm of snow expected by late Monday

Here we go again. Winter. Somehow that first serious snowfall, the one that looks to linger, comes as a bit of shock to the system.

So it will no doubt be by Monday’s end with between five and ten centimetres of it, according to Environment Canada’s weather gurus. The high of just one degree will encourage some melting during the daylight hours, the snow is not expected to end until after midnight when the overnight temperatures drops to -6 C.

This prompted Environment Canada to issue a “special weather statement” Sunday afternoon for much of the Ottawa area: “The public is advised to monitor future forecasts and warnings as warnings may be required or extended.”

The snowfall was expected to being over regions north of Lake Erie on Sunday evening, then move into Eastern Ontario on Monday morning before spreading along areas north of the St. Lawrence River in the afternoon.

In other words, come Tuesday you’ll be wondering what household gremlin ate the mittens and toques, and arguing with the spousal unit about who’s to blame for not booking a tire-change appointment.

Think of it as seasonal adjustment dysfunction, that period when we begin to reconcile ourselves to another Ottawa winter.

This week will be an adjustment: bouts of snow flurries are expected to dominate the week. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are all forecast with a 30 to 40 per cent chance of flurries and temperature highs in the zero to -1 range.

Friday should offer a touch of relief with a mix of sun and cloud and a high of 3. But then it’s back to the flurries and sliding temperatures come Saturday.

Take heart, though, it could be worse. How many remember mid-November of 1995 when there was already more than 25 centimetres of snow on the ground?

Or how about 1967, when the temperature dipped below -15?

Of course, it could also be nicer. The normal temperature for this time of year is in the 4 C range, with lows of -3. But in 2006, the temperature was a nudge above 15.

But back to reality. Ottawa police are reminding drivers to be extra careful with precipitation and temperatures hovering around the freezing mark for the week. They urge drives to give cars a little of extra distance, slow down and be mindful of driving for the weather and road conditions.

“We just want everyone to pay attention, given we’re expecting the first snowfall of the season,” Staff Sgt. Brad Hampson said Sunday. “It always takes time to adjust.”

Meanwhile, the latest forecasts and warnings from Environment Canada can be monitored at www. weatheroffice.gc.ca.