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Warm weather and rain didn't keep some away from the soggy skating rink at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto Dec 4, 2012. Toronto has had unusually high temperatures for early December, just weeks before the holidays.Moe Doiron/The Globe and Mail

Torontonians will very likely miss out on a white Christmas for a fourth-straight year (rest of the country, cue the violins), but it appears a big snowstorm is headed the city's way for Boxing Day.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement on Monday, warning that Toronto and other parts of southern Ontario could be in store for a cold snap and significant snowfall starting in the province's southwest region Wednesday.

The storm is expected to spread eastward into Quebec by Wednesday night and then into the Maritimes. Strong winds might also develop, although the path and strength of the potential storm could still change.

If the snowstorm and colder temperatures materialize, they could put a damper on retail sales during one of the busiest shopping stretches in Canada. Just don't expect residents of the Prairies to lament Toronto's possibly looming winter storm.

Temperatures in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba's big cities are expected to reach a high in the -20 C range on Christmas Day.

At least, it should be sunny and dry.

Toronto's Christmas Day temperature should reach a high of 2 C.

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