With just four months to go until the official start of winter, Ontario may want to enjoy the warm weather while it lasts, ahead of what might be a very unpleasant chilly season.

This year's national winter forecast from Farmers' Almanac Canada warns that "Ontario's winter will be filled with a whirlwind of both snow and rain," with below-normal temperatures to be felt in the province.

The astronomical start of winter is still a ways away, kicking off with the winter solstice on Saturday, December 21, 2024. And while you still have a few months to enjoy the rest of summer and fall, the same La Nina conditions that saw predictions for a cooler summer could remain a factor when the mercury starts to plummet later this year.

According to the Farmers' Almanac Canada forecast, "this winter La Niña is expected to develop and hang on through the season."

The publication states that "if we blend the effects of La Nina into our proprietary formula, the winter of 2024-25 should see below-normal temperatures for about two-thirds of the nation, from east of the Rockies to Ontario."

Temps are expected to be coldest in a range spanning from the Prairies into the Great Lakes region, with the worst temperatures expected to close out January and kick off February, "when frigid Arctic air brings a sharp plunge in temperatures."

It's a bit of a bummer to hear, but there's still plenty of time to get out and enjoy the sunshine before thermometers take a nosedive.

Even the waning summer is expected to be followed by "fair and dry" fall conditions in Ontario, according to the Farmer's Almanac Extended Fall Forecast for 2024, so there's no need to fret.