What to know
- Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of snow, freezing rain and ice pellets starting early Wednesday morning in Toronto, with up to 5 cm of snow and several millimetres of ice accumulation possible.
- Meteorologist Trudy Kidd says the storm could create slippery roads, reduced visibility, potential power outages and difficult travel conditions throughout the day and into the evening, possibly tapering into freezing drizzle.
- Areas north of the city, including Vaughan and Richmond Hill, could see heavier snowfall of 10 to 15 cm under a storm watch, while Hamilton is under a freezing rain warning, with conditions varying across the GTA.
After mild temperatures this weekend, Toronto could see more snow, freezing rain, or ice pellets on Wednesday.
Following below-freezing weather earlier this year, Torontonians finally got a break this weekend when the city reached positive temperatures, but that doesn’t mean the winter is over just yet.
Read More
Proving that spring is still a few cold punches away, Environment Canada first issued a special weather statement for Toronto as the city is expected to be hit with hazardous winter conditions on Wednesday. The statement was later updated to a yellow-coloured winter storm alert.
Environment Canada Meteorologist Trudy Kidd says parts of Southern Ontario, including downtown Toronto, could see snow, freezing rain and ice pellets starting in the morning and throughout the day.
The new alert also forecasts foggy conditions near Lake Ontario, with a chance of rain overnight, before the storm hits in the morning.
The hazardous weather could create slippery roads and walkways, as well as reduced visibility in case of snow, which could cause travel delays and possible local power outages.
“It’ll continue through to the evening, and when it tapers off, it might taper off into freezing drizzle, which would add a little more of a glaze of ice onto surfaces, but already probably will have some sort of freezing rain accumulation, or even freezing rain with snow on top, or a mix of snow and ice pellets,” she told Now Toronto.
“At this point, we’re expecting possibly 5 cm of snowfall for the city, and then for the freezing rain accumulation, [it] could see several millimetres, which is enough to certainly make travel hazardous.”
With the conditions expected to impact the morning commute and possibly the evening commute, Kidd recommends residents to double check the forecast before leaving their homes, give themselves extra time, and beware of slippery roads.
“Most people don’t get too concerned about rain, but if it falls on your car, and your car is freezing, it’s gonna ice up and it’ll make it hard. You have to use your wipers and get it heated so that it doesn’t keep freezing on your windshield,” she said.
“Make sure you’re giving your best chance with the best visibility. Make sure your wipers are in good working order… You can’t always see where the rain has frozen and made a slippery road condition or sidewalk.”
GO and UP Express trains could face delays
Ahead of the storm, Metrolinx says that GO Transit and UP Express trains could be delayed on Wednesday, and warns commuters should plan ahead and allow extra time for travel.
Customers can head to the GO Transit and UP Express websites for service updates.
“We will monitor the conditions and update customers when new information is available. Please use caution at stations and on platforms and try to use shelters to shield yourself,” Metrolinx said in a statement.
What parts of the GTA will be hit?
Kidd says the storm is expected to hit differently in different parts of the GTA.
The meteorologist says those in Southern Ontario, including downtown Toronto, should prepare for a morning commute amid freezing rain, starting very early on.
“If you’re in Toronto, it doesn’t take much to make the travel take longer. Looking at the arrival time, I don’t even think leaving much earlier is going to help in terms of avoiding the precipitation. So, folks that typically leave at 6 a.m. for example, even 5 a.m., it looks like we could be seeing… freezing rain to start.”
Meanwhile, those travelling north towards Vaughn or Richmond Hill should be prepared for more snowfall, as the area is under a storm watch, expected to receive about 10 to 15 cm of snow, as well as freezing rain and ice pellets.
Although there are no active alerts at the moment, Kidd says those heading east of the city could also see some snowfall, and recommends commuters in the area to keep checking the forecast for updates.
With Hamilton also under a freezing rain warning, the meteorologist says those commuting to that area could also face freezing rain build up on surfaces.
“There’s going to be some wind coming off the lake, and so it’s possible that branches could fall in power lines, and then we could see utility outages,” Kidd added.
Forecast this week
Despite temperatures reaching a high of 5 C on Tuesday, there is a 40 per cent chance rain could hit tonight ahead of the icy conditions on Wednesday, with a low of 0 C.
Snow or freezing rain could hit Wednesday morning and last until the evening, with wind gusts up to 50 km/h, and a high of 0 C and a low of -1 C. Although the accumulation amount is uncertain, Environment Canada says about 5 cm of snow or ice is expected.
Milder temperatures are expected to last until the weekend, with a high of 1 C and low of 0 C on Thursday, and a high of 3 C and low of -4 C on Friday. Precipitation is expected again on Friday, with a 70 per cent chance of rain or snow.
