Spring storm to bring strong winds, rain & snow to central Ontario

Mother Nature is whipping up a spring storm for central Ontario this week, with strong winds, rain and snow in the forecast.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Monday evening for parts of Muskoka, Simcoe, Dufferin, and Grey Bruce counties, as a Colorado low brings rain that will turn to snow by mid-week.

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According to the national weather agency, the storm will hit on Tuesday, starting with rain and gusty winds upwards of 70 kilometres per hour.

The winds will ease by Wednesday night, when the storm shifts to snow.

"The higher terrain through the Oak Ridges Moraine and along the Niagara Escarpment northwest of the GTA is expected to have the highest probability for significant snowfall accumulation," Environment Canada's weather statement notes, adding the snow could last through to Thursday.

The weather agency noted travel could become hazardous because of the snowfall causing reduced visibility, however, it added that "confidence is low as there remains a high degree of uncertainty with the low's track, which will have significant impacts on temperatures, snowfall amounts as well as if and when rain will transition to snow."