20 C in March? Environment Canada says it’s possible in Toronto, but highly unlikely

What to know Environment Canada says it’s too early to count on a 20 C day in March, calling it unlikely at this point. A cooldown is expected this weekend with highs dropping below freezing before a midweek warmup. Temperatures could climb to around 5 C by Wednesday, with a chance of reaching 10 C

What to know

Environment Canada says it’s too early to count on a 20 C day in March, calling it unlikely at this point.
A cooldown is expected this weekend with highs dropping below freezing before a midweek warmup.
Temperatures could climb to around 5 C by Wednesday, with a chance of reaching 10 C by the first weekend of March.
Early March highs typically range between -2 C and 4 C, and forecast models are less reliable beyond seven days.

Environment Canada is advising Toronto residents not to pack away their winter coats just yet, even as talks of a possible 20 C day this March begin to circulate.

Local meteorologist Anthony Farnell has drawn some attention online this week, suggesting that temperatures could climb to around 20 degrees on March 11.

As many locals shared their excitement at the sheer thought of an early spring, as predicted by Ontario’s Wiarton Willie, Environment Canada says it’s a bit too soon to count on such a dramatic warmup.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Eric Tomlinson tells Now Toronto that while milder air is expected to move into the region next week, a cooldown is on its way first. Temperatures are set to drop over the coming weekend, with daytime highs falling below zero by Sunday.

Around Mar. 4, Tomlinson says a pattern shift is expected to push temperatures above freezing. Daytime highs are projected to reach around 5 C as of next Wednesday, with the potential for temperatures to climb to 10 C by the first weekend of March.

But Tomlinson cautions that forecast models become uncertain beyond seven days out. He says while a 20 C day isn’t completely impossible, he noted it would be extreme for early March in Toronto.

“At this time, the most likely scenario is that we do get some daytime highs above zero, potentially in the middle — high single digits — but to say that a 20 C is a possibility on March 11 would be a bit of a stretch at the moment,” he explained.

For this time of year, daytime highs typically range between -2 C and 4 C, Tomlinson noted. He also added that the beginning of March is also expected to be rainier than usual.

Forecast this week in Toronto

Friday saw a mix of sun and cloud, with daytime highs reaching 6 C and the low expected to hit 1 C.

On Saturday, the forecast is set to be mainly cloudy with a 40 per cent chance of flurries, with a high of zero and a low -13 C.

Sunday is predicted to bring a mix of sun and cloud and a 30 per cent chance of flurries, with a high of -6 C and a low of -15 C.

Below freezing temperatures continue on Monday, with a mix of sun and cloud and a high of -5 C and a low of -8 C.

Temperatures rise to a high of 1 C on Tuesday with a chance of snow and a low of -1 C.

On Wednesday, temperatures are predicted to reach 5 C with a chance of flurries, and a low of -3 C. Cloudy conditions continue into Thursday, also with a high of 5 C.

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