Freezing drizzle and flurries threaten travel in remote Northern Ontario

THUNDER BAY · Several remote communities in Northern Ontario face a risk of freezing drizzle and flurries Wednesday night as a colder north wind moves in. Environment Canada forecasts the change will bring gusty winds and a temperature drop, creating potentially slick conditions on roads, runways and walking surfaces. The weather shift follows a day of mild temperatures, fog and low cloud across the region. The national weather agency had no active public weather alerts for the area as of its 5:28 a.m. EST check Wednesday, but its forecast in force warns of the overnight hazards.

The communities of Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, represented by the Big Trout Lake forecast, Kasabonika Lake and Bearskin Lake are expected to see a 30 per cent chance of flurries and a risk of freezing drizzle overnight. North winds are forecast to gust to 50 km/h in some areas, with lows near -3 C and wind chills making it feel closer to -10. Sandy Lake and Pikangikum will also see a 30 per cent chance of overnight flurries, with lows near -3 C and wind chills near -10 and -9 respectively. Neskantaga First Nation and Ogoki Post, covered by the Fort Hope-Lansdowne House-Ogoki forecast, could see rain change to snow overnight as north winds gust to 50 km/h and temperatures fall to -1 C. Attawapiskat may start the night with a 40 per cent chance of rain showers before rain mixes with light snow after midnight, with north gusts to 40 km/h and a low of 1 C. Environment Canada advises travellers to check for its next scheduled forecast update at 5:30 a.m. EST Wednesday before departure.

The agency recommends wearing a wind-resistant outer layer Wednesday and carrying gloves for the evening temperature drop. It says waterproof, high-traction footwear matters most where rain changes to snow or freezing drizzle. For air travel, keeping a warm layer and essential medication in hand luggage is advised in case weather slows operations. Freezing drizzle is made of supercooled liquid droplets that can remain liquid below 0 C and freeze on contact with a cold surface like a runway or road. Conditions are expected to improve later in the week. Thursday brings clearing for Sandy Lake and Pikangikum with highs near 2 C, while Big Trout Lake, Kasabonika Lake and Bearskin Lake see a mix of sun and cloud with highs near 0 C. Neskantaga and Ogoki Post keep a 30 per cent chance of rain showers or flurries, reaching 2 C. Friday is forecast to be sunny across all the communities, with highs ranging from about 4 C to 6 C. Your Space Hamilton reported in October that Environment Canada had warned of possible power and travel disruptions from strong winds in remote Indigenous communities.

With files from NetNewsLedger