TORONTO — Residents in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) woke up Sunday to the season's first snowfall, a preview of winter that is still over a month away. While some of the snow melted upon contact with the ground, the remaining accumulation is not expected to last long. Forecasts predict temperatures will rise to 4 degrees Celsius on Tuesday and 6 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, which should help melt the snow quickly.

Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for Toronto and much of southern Ontario, including areas from London to Ottawa. The snowfall is attributed to a low-pressure system moving through the region. The weather agency estimates that Toronto and its surrounding areas could see between 5 to 10 centimeters of snow as the system continues into the evening.

"There remains uncertainty with respect to the track of this weather system, and as such forecast snowfall amounts may change," Environment Canada stated. The agency also noted that confidence in snowfall predictions is lower for areas from Stratford to Orillia and northwest, where higher amounts may remain to the southeast.

Motorists are advised to prepare for challenging winter driving conditions. Environment Canada cautioned that poor weather could lead to transportation delays.

In response to the cold weather, the City of Toronto has opened additional shelter spaces for the homeless, as temperatures are expected to drop to -5 degrees Celsius on Sunday. Meanwhile, southern and central Quebec are also anticipating their first snowfall of the season, with Montreal projected to receive nearly 10 centimeters of snow by Monday.