Green Christmas expected in Toronto as winter officially arrives tonight
Posted December 21, 2023 8:36 am.
Last Updated December 21, 2023 2:29 pm.
Winter officially arrives Thursday night but there won’t be a winter wonderland in Toronto this Christmas.
It is expected to be a snow-free start to the season across the GTA as the winter solstice begins at 10:27 p.m. ET but it will be a cold one. The low will be near -4 C under partly cloudy skies but it will feel like -10.
A mix of sun and cloud will greet the first full day of winter on Friday, with a high of 1 C.
“Conditions are pretty quiet for the next couple of days. We have the chance of showers on Saturday,” CityNews weather specialist Denise Andreacchi said.
Then on Sunday, which is Christmas Eve, Santa won’t need the extra winter gear while making stops in the city because we are in for a green Christmas. It will be mostly cloudy with a high near 4 C.
The mild weather continues on Christmas Day with a high near 6 C and no snow in the forecast.
David Phillips, chief climatologist at Environment Canada, says the rest of Canada will also see a green Christmas since most of the country has been unusually dry and warm this year. However, he warns Canadians are likely to face serious winter conditions as the season progresses.
Toronto opens new respite centre as winter arrives
A new 24-hour respite centre is set to open Thursday at the Better Living Centre at Exhibition Place, which will welcome 40 people experiencing homelessness each day, between now and Dec. 26.
The City says this will be done through referrals, and once it is fully operational, it will have the capacity for around 240 people.
The respite site, which will remain open until March, was announced as part of the City’s updated winter services plan to help vulnerable people get out of the cold this season.
With files from CityNews staff and The Canadian Press
