Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Waterloo Region and southern Wellington County, warning of a significant winter storm expected later this week through to the holiday weekend.
The weather agency warns of precipitation beginning as rain or snow late on Thursday, possibly transitioning to rain in many areas on early Friday.
Dropping temperatures are expected on Friday, leading to potential for flash freeze in locations that receive rainfall.
Those rapidly dropping temperatures are expected to be paired with strong, potentially damaging winds along with snow that may be heavy at times.
Environment Canada has also noted that details on wind speed, precipitation types and amounts remain highly uncertain at this time - as they emphasize monitoring local forecasts and the latest alerts for individual areas.
Local residents are also encouraged to consider altering plans through the holiday weekend as travel conditions may become dangerous, and "extensive utility outages" are possible, while temperatures on Friday through to the weekend have potential to be the coldest of the season to date.
