NetNewsLedger Weather Desk – Sioux Lookout & Eastern Lac Seul

THUNDER BAY – WEATHER DESK – A winter storm and flash freeze combo is setting up for Sioux Lookout and Eastern Lac Seul, with rain, ice, heavy snow, and blowing snow all lining up over the next 36 hours. Travel plans from Wednesday evening into Thursday night may need a serious rethink.

As of 4:00 PM CST, Sioux Lookout Airport was reporting light rain showers and 1.5°C (we’ll call it 2°C). Winds are west-northwest at 22 km/h, gusting to 37 km/h, with humidity at 96 percent and visibility around 5 kilometres in the rain. The pressure is 98.7 kPa and falling, a solid sign that the atmosphere is gearing up for something bigger.

Two Alerts in Effect: Flash Freeze & Winter Storm

Environment Canada has two weather alerts in effect for Sioux Lookout – Eastern Lac Seul:

• YELLOW WARNING – FLASH FREEZE

• YELLOW WATCH – WINTER STORM

What’s Coming

Impact Level: Moderate
Forecast Confidence: High

What:

• 25 to 35 cm of snow, with local amounts possibly exceeding 35 cm

• Strong northerly winds creating blowing snow and near-zero visibility at times

• A rapid fall in temperature, turning rain and slush into ice

When:

• Flash freeze conditions: Tonight as temperatures fall well below zero

• Heavier snow begins: Wednesday evening, tapering off from west to east Thursday night

Tonight: Showers to Flurries, Flash Freeze Risk

This evening, a few rain showers or flurries will change to flurries and end near midnight, followed by cloudy skies with a 30 percent chance of flurries overnight.

There will be local blowing snow this evening and after midnight, with about 2 cm of snow expected.

• Wind northwest 20 km/h, gusting to 40, becoming light before morning

• Low near –19°C

• Wind chill near –8°C this evening, dropping to about –24°C overnight

All that rain and slush on roads and walkways will freeze quickly as the temperature plunges. Watch for:

• Black ice on highways

• Rutted, frozen slush on side streets

• Very slick steps, sidewalks, and parking lots

Wednesday: Snow Starts, Then the Storm Ramps Up at Night

On Wednesday, expect mainly cloudy skies with snow beginning in the morning and ending late in the afternoon, followed by a 40 percent chance of flurries.

Local amounts during the day: about 2 cm of snow.

• Wind southwest 20 km/h, becoming light early in the afternoon

• High near –9°C

• Wind chill near –29°C in the morning, and around –14°C in the afternoon

• Risk of frostbite, especially early

It’s Wednesday night when things really ramp up.

Wednesday Night: The Main Event

• Snow, with local blowing snow before morning

• 15 to 25 cm of new snow expected overnight

• Wind southeast 20 km/h, becoming northeast 30 km/h gusting to 50 after midnight

• Low near –10°C

• Wind chill near –17°C

This is when travel could become hazardous to impossible at times, with heavy snow and blowing snow reducing visibility to near zero along open stretches of road and on area highways. Road closures are possible if the storm verifies at the higher end of the snow totals.

Thursday: Snow, Blowing Snow, and Deep Cold

On Thursday, the winter storm continues:

• Snow throughout the day

• Local blowing snow

• Windy conditions

• High near –14°C

By Thursday night, the snow tapers to cloudy periods with a 40 percent chance of snow, but the cold really takes over:

• Low near –29°C

That combination of deep snow, drifting, and very cold air will keep roads tricky long after the last flakes fall.

End of Week: Staying Wintry

The wintry theme continues right through the weekend:

• Friday: 30 percent chance of snow, high near –16°C; snow again Friday night with a low near –21°C.

• Saturday: Snow, high near –14°C; 40 percent chance of flurries Saturday night, low near –26°C.

• Sunday: 30 percent chance of flurries, high near –18°C; clearing Sunday night with a low near –24°C.

• Monday: Sunny, high around –12°C – a brighter, calmer day after the stormy stretch.

What to Wear in Sioux Lookout

You’ll want full winter armour for this one:

• Thermal base layers on top and bottom

• A warm mid-layer (hoodie, fleece, or sweater)

• A windproof, insulated winter jacket

• Snow pants or lined pants, especially for shovelling, snowblowing, or time outdoors

On your feet, insulated winter boots with aggressive tread are crucial – between the flash freeze and heavy snow, traction will matter as much as warmth. Add a toque, neck warmer, and thick mitts or gloves to protect against wind chills dipping into the –20s and –30s.

If you’re driving, keep an emergency kit in the vehicle: blanket, charger, snacks, and a shovel at minimum. Allow extra time, and if you can avoid travel during the worst of the storm Wednesday night into Thursday, that’s the safer call.

Sioux Lookout Weather Trivia – Storm Hub of the North

Sioux Lookout’s position as a rail and air hub for Northern Ontario also makes it a weather focal point: major systems moving across the Prairies and Hudson Bay lowlands often pass right over or just south of the region. That means big snow totals, sharp cold fronts, and strong winds aren’t rare guests – they’re regular winter visitors.

This storm, with its flash freeze, 25 to 35 cm of snow, and blowing snow, is a textbook example of how quickly conditions can worsen in the region – and why watching the forecast is part of daily life around Lac Seul.

The Last Word on Sioux Lookout Weather: Sioux Lookout faces a flash freeze then 25–35 cm of snow, strong winds and blowing snow from Wednesday night to Thursday, with near-zero visibility and –29°C cold.