GTA Winter So Far: A Very Early Season & Relentless Snow
If you were expecting winter to show up around mid-December and then slowly build up, this season is giving us a plot twist. The 2025–26 winter in the Greater Toronto Area has been anything but ordinary.
First of all, things kicked off way ahead of schedule. We saw our first significant snowfall of 5+ cm on November 9, 2025 — the earliest November accumulation we’ve had in decades. Historically, the first 5 cm doesn’t happen until around December 12, so for it to hit in early November is definitely notable.
From late November into early December, lake-effect snow squalls and Arctic blasts continued to bring bursts of snow and blustery winds across southern Ontario.
December’s Snow Patterns
December didn’t mellow things out, with repeated rounds of snow, flurries, and wintry mixes throughout the month.
While totals didn’t smash all records, local weather trackers and community data show near-persistent snowfall through December, leading many residents to feel like we were digging out week after week.
January — Cold, Snowy, and Icy Commutes
The first week of January continued the trend with more snow, occasional squalls, and freezing rain that made some GTA commutes downright messy — including ice build-ups that caused power outages in parts of Markham and surrounding areas.
Long-range forecasts are predicting periods of colder-than-average temperatures through January and ongoing snowfall through the month, so it looks like winter isn’t going anywhere yet.
So… How Unusual Is This?
Compared to recent “normal” winters in the GTA:
- We saw significant snow much earlier than average — early November instead of mid- to late-December.
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Rather than a slow buildup, we’ve had consistent snow band activity and lake-effect patterns that rarely took a break.
- And while final totals are still being tallied, snowfall through December and January has been well above what meteorologists expect for these months.
So Why Is It Like This?
A few large-scale atmospheric players have been in the mix:
- La Niña influences — these kinds of ocean-atmosphere patterns tend to favour more active winter weather across much of Canada and the northern U.S.
- Polar vortex shifts and cold intrusions — weaker or wobbly polar vortex patterns can push Arctic air farther south and earlier in the season, fuelling winter storms and cold snaps.