Frigid cold expected this weekend in southern Ontario

Bundle up if you are heading out for last-minute Christmas shopping this weekend in the GTA and southern Ontario.

Forecasts call for lows down to -25 C with the windchill on the weekend. There is also a possibility of heavy snow in the western parts of the GTA on Friday.

Temperatures have been dropping after a mild start to the week. Along with the snow, Friday’s temperature high is expected to be around -3 C dropping down to -10 C in the evening in Mississauga, Brampton, Burlington, Oakville and Hamilton, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

It is expected to be slightly warmer in the Niagara Region and slightly colder in Durham Region.

Saturday could be the coldest day of the weekend with highs around -8 C and lows at -16 C, dropping down to -18 C in Durham. But with the wind chill, it could feel more like -28 C at the coldest point of the night, according to the Weather Network.

A mix of sun and cloud is expected with a 40 per cent chance of flurries on Saturday, according to Environment Canada.

On Sunday, sunny skies are forecast with a high of around -9 C and lows down to -12 C or -15 C in Durham Region.

Windchill values drop down to around -19 C on Sunday.

These temperatures are colder than normal for this time of year. The normal high is around zero and the low should be around -8 C, according to Environment Canada.

Looking ahead to next week, temperatures are forecast to warm up and by Christmas day, could be above zero.

Lead photo: Andre Furtado