NetNewsLedger Weather – Thunder Bay Weather Outlook

Thunder Bay – WEATHER – It is a slippery start this morning in Thunder Bay. Light snow overnight has left a polished layer on many streets and sidewalks. Sidewalk plows have been out in the Waterfront District getting a handle on things, but snow clearing on some of the main roads is still running slow, so extra caution is the word of the morning.

As of 7:00 AM EST, conditions at Thunder Bay Airport show light snow with a temperature of –8.8°C, feeling closer to –14°C with a west-northwest wind at 11 km/h. Humidity is at 83 percent, the dew point is –11.2°C, and visibility is a good 24 kilometres, despite the lingering flakes. The barometric pressure sits at 100.5 kPa and is falling, a sign the pattern is still a bit unsettled over Lake Superior.

Today: Snow Tapers, Slick Spots Linger

The forecast calls for the snow to end early this morning, followed by a mix of sun and cloud with about a 30 percent chance of flurries through the rest of the day. The high will climb to around –8°C, but the wind chill will stay near –15°C, so it’ll feel colder than it looks out the window. Winds will remain light, up to 15 km/h, which is enough to keep the chill in the air without causing blowing snow.

Roads, side streets, and parking lots may stay tricky through the morning, especially where that thin layer of packed snow and ice is hiding under fresh powder. Give yourself extra stopping distance and take it easy on corners and crosswalks.

Tonight: Cloudy, Colder, and Breezier

Tonight, Thunder Bay will see mainly cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of flurries hanging around. Winds will pick up a bit, becoming northeast 20 km/h near midnight. The low will drop to –13°C, and with that northeast wind, the wind chill will feel near –14°C this evening and fall to around –20°C overnight. That means any slush left over from the day will refreeze quickly after dark, so conditions could actually feel slicker late tonight and early Wednesday.

Wednesday: Bright but Brisk

Wednesday starts off on a bright note with sunny skies, before increasing cloudiness late in the morning. Winds will shift, with a northeast wind of 20 km/h becoming northwest 20 km/h in the morning. The high will reach –9°C, but the wind chill will hover near –20°C through much of the day, making it feel sharply cold whenever you’re out in the open.

Wednesday night brings cloudy periods and a low near –15°C, another typical December night along the north shore of Lake Superior.

Late Week and Weekend: A Mix of Sun, Cloud, and On-and-Off Flurries

Looking ahead, Thursday offers a mix of sun and cloud with a high near –9°C, followed by a 40 percent chance of flurries Thursday night and a low around –15°C.

Friday looks colder and more unsettled, with a 60 percent chance of flurries and a high close to –13°C, then cloudy periods Friday night and a chilly low near –20°C.

The weekend keeps the winter rhythm going. Saturday brings a mix of sun and cloud with a high near –15°C, and another night of cloudy periods around –19°C.

On Sunday, there’s a 40 percent chance of snow and a high of about –13°C, followed by a 60 percent chance of snow Sunday night and a low near –16°C. Monday continues with cloud and a 30 percent chance of flurries, with a high near –11°C.

Climate normals for early December in Thunder Bay typically include daytime highs below freezing and overnight lows in the minus teens, so this stretch of weather is very much in line with the classic early-winter pattern for the city.

What to Wear (and How Not to Wipe Out)

With slick surfaces and wind chills in the minus mid-teens to minus twenties, this is a parka and boots kind of stretch, not a “just grab a hoodie” week. For today and tonight:

• Wear a warm insulated coat with a good zipper and hood.

• Winter boots with solid tread will help on those icy sidewalks and parking lot surprise patches.

• A toque, mitts or gloves, and a scarf or neck warmer will make walking, waiting for the bus, or scraping the car much more bearable.

• With some sunny breaks in the forecast, sunglasses are handy for cutting glare off the fresh snow, especially near the Waterfront and along the harbour.

If you’re driving, think “winter mode”: clear snow from the whole vehicle, not just a porthole in the windshield, and give yourself extra time to get where you’re going.

Weather Trivia – Thunder Bay’s Slippery Side

Thunder Bay is known for big swings between sunny skies and sudden snow bands off Lake Superior. That combination often leads to mornings just like today: a few centimetres of new snow on top of earlier packed snow or ice, turning side streets and sidewalks into surprise skating rinks. City crews do their best, but when the snow hits overnight, the first real warning many people get is that first step out the front door.

Last Word on the Weather:
Thunder Bay starts slick and snowy with –9°C and wind chills near –15. Light flurries, slow clearing on roads, and colder wind chills tonight near –20.