Environment Canada keeps 'eye on another system nearby' in northwestern Ontario

As the winter storm moves across northwestern Ontario on Thursday and Friday, officials at Environment Canada are suggesting residents in the region "bundle up" as a second storm is expected to headour way just before the new year.

However, the second storm is not expected to be as big as the one affecting Thunder Bay this week.

"As of [Thursday] morning, I have the measurements of about 10 centimetres already that fell in the overnight and early morning period, but we're looking at a total snowfall amount of 30 centimetres, could be a little bit more even," said Environment Canada MeteorologistMarie-Eve Giguereon Thursday.

• Winter storm warning in effect for Northern Ontario

She said upto 20 centimetresof snowfall is expected to fall throughout the day on Thursday, with another 10 centimetres more overnight into Friday morning. However, as the snow stops, the temperature in the region is expected to drop significantly as well.

"It's a lot of snow and winds are picking up with that," Giguere added. "We had south-westerly winds this morning and its going to shift to northerly winds, bringing cold air in by tomorrow morning, so we're looking at blowing snow as well as heavy snow today."

She said the brisk wind from the north will make the temperature feel closer to minus 25 to 30 with windchill in the coming days.

"It's time to bundle up," Giguere explained.

Cold start to 2019

As the snow tapers off on Friday, Giguere said they are "keeping an eye on another system that is nearby."

"That one is coming from Alberta ... so probably more snow leading to New Years eve. It's early to tell exactly how much snow we're expecting with that," Giguereexplained.

She said the winter storm from Alberta won't be as bad as the current system from Colorado that's moving through the region this week.

"It's not a big storm, we're looking at maybe another 5 to 10 centimetrestypically ... so we know it's going to be affecting the area ... and then we're going tostart 2019 on a really really cold note."

She said as soon as the second storm from Alberta ends, wind from the north is expected to pick up again in the region, bringing in cold temperatures once again until "the first half of January."

"Pretty much all of Ontario will start on a cold foot for 2019 ... so time to bundle up, [there's] definitely cold temperatures coming back to the area."