Toronto's first significant snowfall of the season could be just around the corner

Toronto's first major snowfall of the season is likely on the mind of many now that the late autumn chill has fully set in following a rocky October with alternating weeks of summer-like conditions and near-freezing temperatures.

While some meteorologists have predicted a slow and mild start to winter 2023 — much like our strange first bit of fall — other sources have called for early bouts of cold and an early "return of the brrrr" amid generally fickle weather.

Now, in a mid-November update, The Weather Network (TWN) is likewise warning residents that the snow is "only a matter of time" for the GTA, perhaps even sooner than the Farmers' Almanac's projection of early December.

"November is notorious for producing major, memorable snowfalls in many areas in Southern Ontario," TWN wrote on Sunday, noting that last year, some locales were hit with more than 100 cm of snow between November 17-21, which was a precursor to Toronto area weather.

And, just a few winters before that, the GTA had its own sprinkling of the white stuff before the end of the month, with many places in the region seeing 15-25 cm on November 22.

Whether this will happen again this year depends on when the frigid Siberian air due to hit the west coast of the country next week pushes east, which could happen just after this week's balmier atmosphere.

"Over the next week, North America will experience an influx of Pacific air, but there are indications that temperatures will return to seasonal norms later in the month," the agency's forecast reads, 

"Although the storm track may be too far north to produce snow across the GTA, initially, there is still a chance of winter weather towards the end of the month...  falling temperatures could result in some locations in Ontario struggling to reach highs above the freezing point."