Ontario, you’re breathing air straight from the North Pole
Models tracked the region’s bitterly cold air straight from the top of the world
Frigid winds blowing over Ontario this weekend originated directly over the North Pole several days ago.
The burst of Arctic air delivered the province some of its coldest temperatures this season. Toronto’s high of -13.3°C on Saturday was the city’s coldest daytime reading since January 2019.
We can trace the source of this cold air straight from the highest latitudes.
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The prevailing pattern across Canada during the past couple of days has seen a sharp temperature contrast between west and east.
While folks in Western Canada experienced above-seasonal temperatures, a trough digging over Eastern Canada allowed northerly winds to blow across the region.
Air that sat directly over the frosty North Pole just a few days ago blew all the way into southern Ontario this weekend. If you’ve stepped outside and taken a deep breath of that bitingly cold air, you’ve breathed in air that was recently at the top of the world.
The track of the air was calculated by NOAA’s HYSPLIT model, originally developed by meteorologists to monitor the sources and trajectory of air pollution.
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How does it work? Picture a parcel of air drifting in the wind like a balloon. Much like a flight tracking app on your phone, the model traced the path that air took from its point of origin several days ago.
This pattern won’t last too much longer. Forecasters expect milder flow draping across the country to finally reach Ontario later this week, allowing temperatures to rise back toward or even a touch above the seasonal mark for many communities.