Good morning, Orillia! Today's Weather: Gusty Northwest Winds Bring Risk of Frostbite
Periods of light snow will end early this morning as today's weather shifts to a mainly cloudy day with strong northwest winds. The change matters because gusts and plunging wind chills will produce conditions that raise the risk of frostbite across the area.
Today's Weather — Development details
Early this morning a band of light snow is expected to taper off, followed by mainly cloudy skies and a 40 percent chance of flurries. Sustained northwest winds around 30 km/h, with gusts up to 50 km/h, are forecast; the high will reach about minus 5 Celsius, but wind chill will make it feel like minus 11 in the morning and near minus 17 in the afternoon. The UV index will be low at 2.
Overnight the winds are expected to ease, but temperatures will plummet. The forecast calls for a low near minus 21 Celsius with wind chill values falling to about minus 17 this evening and plunging to roughly minus 28 overnight. The forecast explicitly notes a risk of frostbite during those hours.
Context and escalation
After the overnight low, the pattern shows only modest moderation before another round of cold conditions. A following day is expected to be a mix of sun and cloud with lighter winds up to 15 km/h and a daytime high near minus 9 Celsius; however wind chill values are forecast to reach minus 28 in the morning and about minus 16 in the afternoon, again creating a frostbite risk. The forecast then presents a sequence of days with variable precipitation chances: cloudy periods with a 60 percent chance of snow and later a mix of sun and cloud with a 60 percent chance of snow or rain and a high around minus 3 Celsius.
Later in the outlook the forecast lists additional cloudy days with intermittent flurries: one day with a 40 percent chance of flurries or rain showers and a high near plus 2 Celsius, followed by nights and days with lows near minus 14 and highs near minus 8, each carrying up to a 60 percent chance of flurries on some days. What makes this notable is the pronounced variability in both temperature and precipitation over a short span, alternating between daytime values above freezing and brutally cold wind chills that can approach minus 30.
Immediate impact
Residents should expect biting winds today that will intensify the feeling of cold: gusts up to 50 km/h combined with temperatures near minus 5 Celsius translate into afternoon wind chills around minus 17. The most acute impacts will occur overnight when the thermometer drops toward minus 21 and wind chill factors push toward minus 28; the forecast specifically highlights a risk of frostbite during that period, indicating potential for rapid onset on exposed skin.
Beyond personal discomfort, these conditions can complicate outdoor activities and travel. The mix of light snow early on and intermittent flurries afterward means visibility and road surface conditions could be inconsistent through the morning and on subsequent days when a 40–60 percent chance of snow is present. The low UV index of 2 reduces sun-related exposures but does not mitigate the physical hazards posed by wind chill and cold.
Forward outlook
Key milestones in the short-term forecast are clear: light snow will end early this morning, winds will remain strong with gusts to 50 km/h during the day, then ease overnight as temperatures tumble to around minus 21 and wind chill approaches minus 28. In the next two days, expect a brief moderation to highs near minus 9 and then a continued pattern of mixed sun, cloud and recurring chances of snow or flurries—some days carrying up to a 60 percent probability of snow or mixed precipitation.
The schedule of precipitation and temperature swings provides the next observable signals: the easing of winds overnight, the overnight low near minus 21, and the sequence of days with precipitation chances of 40 to 60 percent. Those forecasted numbers will determine whether frostbite risk persists and how travel and outdoor plans should be adjusted.
For now, the combination of northwest winds around 30 km/h with gusts to 50 km/h, daytime highs near minus 5, and overnight lows near minus 21 should guide preparations for the next 48 to 72 hours.
