Toronto is starting the first week of March in a deep freeze, with wind chills near –20 making for a harsh Monday morning across the city. The cold follows a broader pattern across southern Ontario, where several communities remain under a cold warning as temperatures struggle to climb out of the minus teens.The frigid start comes despite March arriving quietly in terms of active weather. Environment Canada and regional forecasters note that temperatures will remain well below seasonal levels through Monday, then shift dramatically later in the week. Some areas in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) have seen wind chill values plunge to –25 or even –30, prompting warnings and the opening of additional warming centres in parts of the region.Related:Cold warnings across southern Ontario as temperatures feel like -30 to start MarchToronto braces for sharp temperature swings and snow this weekend, early-March chillToronto’s forecast for Monday calls for a mix of sun and cloud, but the sunshine does little to offset the cold. Morning wind chills near –20 accompany southeast winds of 10–20 km/h, with a daytime high of –5°C. Overnight temperatures will fall to –9°C under partly cloudy skies.680 NewsRadio weather specialist Denise Andreacchi says the early-March cold snap is not unusual, but the intensity of the wind chill has made for a particularly biting start to the week. Similar conditions were felt across the GTA last week, when wind chills again hovered near –20 as the city braced for another round of winter weather.Mid-week rise in temperatures, rain likelyTuesday begins with sunny breaks, but conditions will deteriorate through the afternoon as a system approaches from the southwest. Depending on surface temperatures, Toronto could see flurries, ice pellets, or pockets of light freezing rain by late day and into the evening. Winds will be out of the east at 10–15 km/h, with a high of 1°C and a low near –1°C.Forecasters warn that this “mixed bag” of precipitation could make roads and sidewalks slick during the evening commute.Wednesday brings cloudy skies with occasional sunny breaks and a noticeable warmup. Highs will reach 5°C with an overnight low of 1°C as milder air begins to settle over southern Ontario.By Thursday, temperatures will continue to rise. Morning mixing is expected before the city shifts into a period of steady rain, with 10–15 mm possible. Winds will remain from the ENE at 10–20 km/h, with a high of 4°C.Friday will feature scattered showers and a high of 8°C, marking the beginning of a prolonged stretch of above-seasonal temperatures. Forecasters expect double‑digit highs from Friday through the middle of next week as a warm air mass settles over the region.