WATCH ABOVE: Extreme winds are blasting the prairies this weekend, and temperatures are expected to plummet in parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northern Ontario.
January has arrived and brought with it typical turbulent weather.
Environment Canada says a major winter storm will bring a messy mix of snow and freezing rain to southern Ontario this weekend.
READ MORE: Southern Ontario braces for first winter storm of 2015
The federal agency says the system will begin Saturday with small amounts of snowfall in the southwest and the Golden Horseshoe area and up to 15 centimetres in central and eastern Ontario.
Meteorologists say in a special weather statement the snow will be followed by brief bouts of freezing rain in some areas before turning to rain later in the day or early Sunday morning.
Temperatures are expected to hit the double digits in some areas later Sunday, but followed by a cold front moving from west to east bringing cold temperatures, wind and snow flurries.
Provincial police are advising drivers to be cautious on roads while Air Canada is waiving flight-change fees at airports in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal.
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Parts of northwestern Ontario are under snowfall and extreme cold warnings.
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Meanwhile, people in western Labrador are bracing for some bitterly cold weather.
Environment Canada issued an extreme cold warning for Labrador City and Wabush Saturday, with wind chills making it feel like -45 C or colder.
Over in the Prairies, Winnipeg’s weather is sunny and frigid, with a daytime high expected to hit -25 C and an extreme wind chill of -42 C Saturday.
READ MORE: Extreme cold weather hits Winnipeg
A prolonged period of very cold wind chills is expected in Saskatchewan this weekend. Environment Canada issued extreme cold weather warnings Saturday to over half of the province.
Environment Canada says it issues extreme cold warnings when the wind chill creates an elevated risk to health such as frost bite and hypothermia.
READ MORE: Cold airmass in Saskatchewan triggers extreme cold warnings
Some areas of British Columbia could see as much as 10 to 20 centimetres of snow over the weekend.
The agency is blaming an arctic airmass from the Yukon, arctic outflow winds over the north and central coasts and a warm front spreading moisture off the Pacific.
Snow is expected in higher terrain, although Environment Canada says communities at sea levels could see a significant amount of the white stuff, too.
With files from The Canadian Press
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