What’s likely the biggest winter storm in years hits Ottawa around noon

Brace yourselves. What’s likely the biggest snowstorm in years has reached our area.

It’s a Colorado Low, which normally gives us 10 to 15 centimetres of snow here in Ottawa, so why 30 to 40 centimetres in the forecast?

Simply put, this is a stronger than normal low and the track of the storm is putting the maximum snow shield right on top of us.

While the snow will start around noon in Ottawa, the worst part of this storm will come after the sun sets — and continuing into early Wednesday, when the snow will be at its heaviest and the wind will be at its strongest with gusts over 50 km/h.

In the Kingston area, it will start earlier.

There will be a few centimetres less snow but the top wind gusts are expected to be stronger, around 70 km/h.

A winter storm warning is in place for the entire region and travel in this period is not advised.

School buses are cancelled across eastern Ontario, but not in Ottawa.

The last time we saw this much snow in a storm was 51.2 cm on Feb. 16, 2016, which set a single-day snowfall record.

It’s still dangerously cold as well, with a wind chill around the frostbite advisory threshold of –25 most of the day.