NetNewsLedger Weather Desk – Thunder Bay
Thunder Bay – WEATHER DESK – It is another day to put double “Mittens on your Kittens”.
Thunder Bay is starting Sunday firmly on the cold side, but with a brighter sky overhead and a more unsettled, milder pattern lining up for early week. At 8:00 AM EST, conditions at Thunder Bay Airport were mainly clear with a temperature of –22.0°C, matching the headline –22°C. A west-southwest wind at 15 km/h is driving the wind chill down to about –32, and that kind of cold means you feel it the second you step outside.
The humidity sits at 73 percent, with a dew point of –25.6°C, while visibility is a clear 24 kilometres, letting you see right across the city and out toward the Sleeping Giant. The barometric pressure is high at 103.5 kPa and rising, reflecting a dome of cold, stable air that will gradually give way to cloud and snow later today and tonight.
Today: Bright but Cold, With Snow Building in Late
Through the day today, Thunder Bay can expect a mix of sun and cloud. It will look quite pleasant at times, but the air will remain sharply cold. Winds will become westerly near 20 km/h this morning, keeping enough breeze to maintain a bite in the air. The afternoon high is forecast near –12°C, but the wind chill will sit close to –30°C this morning and only improve to around –15°C this afternoon. That is still cold enough for a risk of frostbite, especially for anyone outdoors for longer stretches without full winter gear.
By tonight, the pattern turns more active. Skies will be mainly cloudy, with a 30 percent chance of flurries this evening, then periods of snow beginning late this evening. Local accumulation of around 5 centimetres is expected by Monday morning. Winds will become westerly 20 km/h late this evening, and interestingly, the temperature will rise to around –8°C by morning, a bit of a “milder” bump as cloud and snow move in. The wind chill overnight will be near –19, still cold, but a noticeable step up from recent –30s.
Monday: Cloudy Start, Clearing Afternoon, Then a Bigger Warm-Up Coming
On Monday, Thunder Bay will see mainly cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of flurries in the morning, followed by clearing through the afternoon. Winds will be light, up to 15 km/h, and the temperature will do a little shuffle: falling to about –13°C in the morning, then rising again in the afternoon. The wind chill will be near –20 in the morning and around –12 in the afternoon, still very much winter but far less punishing than the deep freeze of the past couple of days.
Monday night brings cloudy periods and a low near –14°C, setting up the stage for a brief and unusual December thaw.
On Tuesday, the forecast calls for cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of flurries or rain showers and a high near +2°C. That above-freezing high will feel like a major swing after this weekend. However, it also means snowpack will soften, side streets and sidewalks could turn slushy, and then refreeze later. Tuesday night remains cloudy with a 30 percent chance of flurries or rain showers and a low near –10°C, so anything that melts during the day may freeze up again after dark.
Wednesday stays cloudy with a high around –4°C, then cloudy with a 60 percent chance of flurries or rain showers Wednesday night and a low near –1°C. By Thursday, there is a 60 percent chance of flurries and a high near –2°C, followed by a sharp return to cold Thursday night with a low around –25°C. Friday is forecast to be cloudy with a high near –11°C and a 40 percent chance of flurries Friday night with a low close to –11°C, and Saturday carries a 30 percent chance of flurries and a high around –6°C.
In short, Thunder Bay is about to ride a bit of a weather roller coaster: deep cold today, snow tonight, a brief thaw early in the week, and then a slide back into more typical December chill.
What to Wear in Thunder Bay Today
This is still serious winter gear weather, especially in the morning when the wind chill is near –30. To stay comfortable and safe, layering is the name of the game. Starting with a thermal or fleece base layer on both top and bottom will help trap your body heat. Over that, a warm mid-layer such as a hoodie or sweater keeps you insulated, and a good insulated winter jacket that stops the wind is essential.
On your legs, snow pants or lined winter pants are highly recommended if you are walking any distance, shovelling, waiting for transit, or spending time outside at the rink or on the trails. Jeans alone will not cut it for long in –20-something cold with wind.
For your feet, insulated winter boots with good tread and thick socks will help keep toes warm and avoid frostbite or numbness. A toque that covers your ears, warm mitts instead of thin gloves, and a scarf or neck warmer that can be pulled up over your nose and mouth are key when wind chills dip into the –20s and lower. With sun in the forecast, sunglasses will also help cut glare off the snow, especially if you are driving or out near the harbour.
As the week warms toward and above freezing, it will become more about traction as well: that brief thaw means ice under a slushy top layer, so even as the temperature rises, good footwear and caution remain important.
Thunder Bay Weather Trivia – From Deep Freeze to Thaw in a Few Days
Thunder Bay’s winter personality often includes quick flips between deep cold and relatively mild days, thanks to its position between Arctic air to the northwest and milder Pacific and prairie air masses to the west. That is exactly what we’re seeing this week. In just a couple of days, the city will go from –22°C and –32 wind chills to temperatures nudging above zero with the chance of rain showers mixed in with flurries.
For longtime residents, it’s a familiar story: one day the snow squeaks under your boots and the air bites at your face; a couple of days later, snowbanks slump, gutters drip, and then, almost as quickly, the cold snaps back into place. It’s part of what makes winter along the Lake Superior north shore both challenging and uniquely interesting.
The Last Word:
Thunder Bay starts Sunday at –22°C with wind chill near –32, sun and cloud today, snow tonight, and a brief thaw to +2°C by Tuesday before colder weather returns.
