Northwestern Ontario Weather: Rain and Strong Winds Give Way to a Sunnier Saturday
Three-day forecast for Thursday, October 15, through Saturday, October 17, 2026
THUNDER BAY — WEATHER — Northwestern Ontario faces a wet, blustery turn tonight into Friday, with north winds gusting to 70 km/h in several communities and a chance of rain showers mixing with flurries as temperatures fall.
Saturday brings a brighter outlook, with sunshine and daytime highs generally reaching 10°C to 13°C across the communities listed below.
Three-day community forecast
Temperatures shown are daytime highs. A chance of flurries does not mean accumulating snow is certain.
| Community | Thursday, October 15 | Friday, October 16 | Saturday, October 17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenora | Cloudy; 40% chance of drizzle or showers. 9°C | Sun and cloud; 30% chance of showers or flurries. 7°C | Sunny. 13°C |
| Dryden | Drizzle or rain, followed by periods of rain. 7°C | 40% chance of early flurries or showers; clearing late. 7°C | Sunny. 12°C |
| Fort Frances | Periods of rain; west wind developing. 9°C | Sun and cloud; north gusts to 60 km/h. 8°C | Sunny. 13°C |
| Atikokan | Cloudy with periods of rain. 8°C | 40% chance of morning showers or flurries; windy. 7°C | Sunny. 13°C |
| Ignace | Drizzle or rain, followed by periods of rain. 7°C | 40% chance of early flurries or showers; brighter afternoon. 6°C | Sunny. 12°C |
| Sioux Lookout | Periods of rain; north wind developing. 7°C | 40% chance of early flurries or showers; clearing late. 6°C | Sunny. 11°C |
| Red Lake | Periods of rain; north wind developing. 7°C | Mainly cloudy; 40% chance of early flurries or showers. 6°C | Sunny. 12°C |
| Ear Falls | Showers developing near noon. 6°C | Sun and cloud; 40% chance of showers or flurries. 5°C | Sunny. 12°C |
| Thunder Bay | Rain developing near noon. 9°C | 40% chance of morning showers or flurries; clearing late. 8°C | Sunny. 12°C |
| Terrace Bay | Rain developing in the afternoon. 8°C | 40% chance of morning showers or flurries; clearing late. 5°C | Sunny. 10°C |
| Marathon | Increasing cloud, then afternoon rain. 8°C | 40% chance of morning showers or flurries; clearing late. 5°C | Sunny. 10°C |
Tonight: Stronger winds and temperatures near freezing
Kenora and Ear Falls: North winds reach 40 km/h, gusting to 70, with showers and flurries and lows near −2°C.
Dryden and Ignace: Rain should end after midnight, followed by a continuing chance of showers and, toward morning, flurries. North winds reach 40 km/h, gusting to 70. Both communities fall to −1°C.
Sioux Lookout and Red Lake: Rain tapers overnight, with a 40% chance of flurries or rain showers before morning. Gusts reach 70 km/h overnight, with lows of −1°C.
Fort Frances: Rain ends after midnight, leaving a chance of showers. North winds strengthen this evening to 40 km/h, gusting to 70. The overnight low is 0°C.
Atikokan: Periods of rain continue tonight. North winds increase to 40 km/h, gusting to 70, before morning. The low is 0°C.
Thunder Bay: Periods of rain continue, with north winds developing after midnight at 30 km/h, gusting to 50. The low is 1°C.
Terrace Bay and Marathon: Rain continues tonight as north winds strengthen after midnight to 30 km/h, gusting to 60. Both communities reach 0°C.
Friday: A cold wind before late clearing
Friday’s strongest gusts remain a concern around Thunder Bay, Atikokan, Terrace Bay and Marathon, where north winds can reach 70 km/h. Atikokan’s winds ease during the afternoon.
Dryden’s north wind gusts to 50 km/h before becoming light in the afternoon. Sioux Lookout and Ignace have gusts to 60 km/h. Morning showers or flurries give way to improving skies later in the day.
Friday night will be cold again. Atikokan drops to −3°C, while Dryden, Ignace and Sioux Lookout reach −1°C. Fort Frances, Thunder Bay, Terrace Bay and Marathon also fall to −1°C, with Kenora, Red Lake and Ear Falls near 0°C.
Saturday: Sunshine returns
Saturday offers the most favourable daytime weather of the three-day period. Sunshine is forecast across all eleven communities, with highs ranging from 10°C along parts of the North Shore to 13°C in Kenora, Fort Frances and Atikokan.
Keep rain gear and a wind-resistant outer layer handy Thursday and Friday. Secure loose outdoor items before winds strengthen. Where wet surfaces meet freezing temperatures, watch for slippery patches, especially on bridges, steps and untreated roads.
No Northwestern Ontario land-based weather alerts appeared in the Environment and Climate Change Canada alert table checked for this report. Monitor updates as conditions change; this is not a marine forecast.
