Toronto Weekend Winter Storm: Current Snow, Records & Impacts

If you’ve stepped outside this past weekend in Toronto, you already know the score. The city woke up on January 26 buried under some of the heaviest snowfall in decades—and for anyone tracking weather records, this one’s worth noting. January 2026 delivered 89.4 cm of snow to Toronto, making it the snowiest month since record-keeping began in 1937 at Pearson Airport. This article breaks down what fell, where, and what it means for the city going forward.

Record Snowfall: 46 cm at Pearson (Jan 25) ·
Storm Window: January 23–27, 2026 ·
January Total: 89.4 cm ·
GTA Snow Cover Streak: 45 days

The table below summarizes snowfall measurements across the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions.

Is there a snow storm in Toronto, Canada?

Yes—and for the record books. The weekend of January 25–26, 2026 delivered what meteorologists are calling a once-in-a-generation event to the Greater Toronto Area. The storm was part of a broader North American system spanning January 23–27, 2026 (unofficially dubbed Winter Storm Fern), and it pushed Toronto to its snowiest January and snowiest month since 1937. Environment Canada confirmed totals of 40–65 cm across different parts of the city, with the heaviest hits on Scarborough, Mississauga, and the airport zones.

Recent snowfall reports

The numbers vary significantly by location, which is typical for lake-effect-enhanced snowfall off Lake Ontario. Scarborough South recorded the highest total at 65 cm, while Pearson Airport hit 46 cm—its snowiest single day since the weather station opened in 1937. Downtown Toronto’s automated sensors logged 56 cm initially, later revised to 61 cm as readings settled. The GTA west (Mississauga, Oakville) saw 49–50 cm, matching the heavy end of the confirmed range. Further east, Oshawa and Aurora received only 11–12 cm, illustrating how sharply accumulation can drop within a 50-kilometre radius of the city core. The cold, fluffy snow that fell in the extreme temperatures made for unusually high measured totals compared to typical wet snow events.

Forecast for weekend

The original forecast called for 15–20 cm in Toronto, upgrading to 20–30 cm for the broader GTA with winds of 50–60 km/h. The storm vastly outperformed those predictions. By the time the system pulled away on January 26, the GTA had logged 45 consecutive days of snow cover this winter—one of the longest streaks on record. Post-storm conditions brought Monday highs near −9°C with wind chill approaching −15°C, followed by Tuesday flurries. An incoming clipper system threatens additional accumulations before the month ends.

When was the worst snow storm in Toronto?

The January 25, 2026 storm ranks among the most significant on record, but it isn’t quite the all-time worst. Historical records show a major December 1944 snowstorm that buried the city under comparable or possibly greater totals, though measurement standards at the time differ from modern methods. The 2013 ice storm caused a different kind of disruption—days of freezing rain that left parts of the city without power for up to 72 hours—but that event was meteorologically distinct from a heavy snowfall. What makes the 2026 storm stand out is its ranking as the snowiest single day at Pearson since 1937 and the snowiest single month in nearly 90 years of record-keeping.

December 1944 event

The December 1944 storm remains a benchmark for Toronto winter extremes. While exact totals from that era are less precisely documented than today’s measurements, historical accounts describe widespread disruption and snow accumulations that compared to or exceeded modern heavy events. The 1944 storm occurred before standardized electronic record-keeping, so researchers treat those figures as approximate rather than precise data points.

Other major storms

Beyond 1944, Toronto has experienced several notable winter events. The January 2026 storm sits alongside the 2013 ice storm as one of the most disruptive weather events in recent memory. The 2003 blackout—a 48-hour power outage event—overlapped with severe winter conditions. The broader pattern shows that major GTA storms tend to arrive every 10–20 years, though the 2026 event’s intensity and single-day totals make it a statistical outlier even within that history.

Did Toronto get 50 cm of snow?

In many parts of the city, yes—50 cm undersells it. Scarborough South recorded 65 cm. Mississauga and western GTA hit 49–50 cm. Downtown registered 61 cm. Pearson Airport logged 46 cm. Only the eastern fringe of the GTA (Oshawa at 12 cm, Aurora at 11 cm) stayed well below that threshold. The answer depends entirely on where in the Greater Toronto Area you’re measuring. For anyone in the western half of the city or the airport corridor, “50 cm” is a conservative estimate.

Verification of amounts

Multiple sources converge on similar figures for most locations. Toronto CityNews reported totals in the 40–60+ cm range confirmed by Environment Canada data. The Weather Network compiled unofficial reports from various automated stations across the GTHA, with Scarborough South leading at 65 cm. Toronto Weatherstats recorded a monthly total of 89.4 cm for January 2026, matching the pattern shown in the daily reports. The variation between 56 cm and 61 cm for downtown reflects the difference between initial estimates from automated sensors and revised readings as data came in overnight.

Impacts on residents

The storm caused widespread school closures across the GTHA and paralyzed transportation networks. Pearson Airport saw hundreds of flight cancellations and operated at reduced capacity. The TTC urged patience as crews dealt with service disruptions. Visibility near zero during the height of the storm on Sunday afternoon made travel hazardous even for short distances. Cleanup efforts continued into Monday as residents and city services worked through the massive accumulations.

How long did the 2013 Toronto ice storm last?

The 2013 ice storm was a multi-day event, though its impacts stretched longer than the precipitation itself. The freezing rain fell over several days in late December 2013, coating surfaces in ice. The power outages that followed lasted up to 72 hours in some GTA neighbourhoods—far longer than the storm itself. For context, the January 2026 snowstorm delivered its heaviest punch in roughly 24 hours, but the physical volume of snow created a different kind of challenge: clearing driveways, roofs, and streets rather than coping with ice accumulation and downed lines.

Duration and effects

The December 2013 ice storm affected a broad swath of North America, with the GTA among the hardest-hit urban areas. The storm complex brought freezing rain, ice pellets, and snow over several days. Power outages in Toronto lasted from several hours to three days depending on neighbourhood and local infrastructure. The 2003 blackout event, also spanning 48 hours, similarly tested the city’s electrical grid under winter conditions.

Comparison to current

The 2026 snowstorm delivered more total precipitation by weight than the ice storm, but the two events challenge cities in fundamentally different ways. Ice loads trees and power lines; heavy snow buries cars and blocks driveways. The 2013 event tested utility crews and emergency services; the 2026 event tested snow removal equipment and municipal public works. Both events resulted in school closures and significant disruption, but the 2026 storm affected transportation more broadly due to the sheer volume of snow on roads and transit infrastructure.

Is winter storm Fern hitting Toronto?

“Winter Storm Fern” is an unofficial nickname, not an official designation. The January 23–27, 2026 system that hit Toronto was part of a broader North American storm complex that affected regions from New Mexico to New England. It generated snowfall exceeding two feet in some U.S. cities and caused an estimated US$4 billion in damages across the continent. Within Canada, the Greater Toronto Area recorded the heaviest Canadian totals, with Pearson Airport’s 46 cm representing the snowiest single day since 1937 for that location.

Snow totals

The storm delivered 46 cm at Pearson, 61 cm downtown, and 65 cm in Scarborough South. Trenton, further east along Lake Ontario, recorded 43 cm. Belleville saw 35 cm. The regional pattern shows the heaviest totals in a band running from the western GTA through Scarborough, with amounts tapering sharply to the east. Southern Ontario outside the immediate GTA saw 35–43 cm in areas like Trenton and Belleville.

Historical context

January 2026’s 89.4 cm total makes it the snowiest month in Toronto since 1937, surpassing typical January averages by a wide margin. The GTA’s 45-day snow cover streak this winter adds context—it’s not just about individual storms but about an exceptionally sustained winter pattern. The storm’s US$4 billion estimated damage tally across North America reflects the broad geographic scope of the event, which extended well beyond the GTA to affect multiple states and provinces.

Related reading: snowfall totals in cm · post-storm temperatures

This weekend’s deluge at Pearson echoed the GTA winter storm records that crowned January Toronto’s snowiest month in nearly 90 years.

Frequently asked questions

For Toronto residents, the takeaway is straightforward: the city just recorded its snowiest month in nearly 90 years, and anyone managing transportation, logistics, or property in the GTA needs to plan for the possibility that extreme snowfall events will recur. Municipal public works departments will spend days clearing streets while residents shovel driveways, and the records will stand until the next one breaks them.