Toronto/CMEDIA: A “wintry mix” of snow, freezing rain and ice pellets reportedly falling Wed morning across the region of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) pushes it under a yellow winter storm warning, Environment Canada said.
Environment Canada(EC)’s alert says a low-pressure system could bring the region up to five centimetres of snow and ice pellet amounts Wed and the mix may cause icy and slippery conditions.
Areas predominantly west of Toronto could face multiple hours of freezing rain and ice buildup, added EC with Burlington and Oakville to see ice build-up of three to seven centimetres.
“Even a few centimetres of ice pellets can result in travel conditions that can be more hazardous than heavy snowfalls,” the warning said. “Roads and walkways will likely be difficult to navigate.”
Travelers are being warned to allow adequate time for travel due to quickly deteriorating travel conditions.
“Conditions should start to go downhill pretty quickly. Regardless of the type of precipitation that falls, it’s going to be hazardous,” Environment Canada operational meteorologist Mark Schuster said
Five milimetres of ice on trees and power lines could be seen in west of Toronto, Schuster said and added much of the GTA will see a mix of snow and ice pellets, with winds gusting up to 50 or 60 km/h.
“I know that five centimeters does not sound like a lot, but with ice pellets, even a few centimeters can be very tricky to drive through and certainly very difficult to shovel,” he said.
Those northeast of Toronto, including Barrie and Durham Region, may see as much as 15 centimetres of snow Wednesday, Schuster said.
Schools to remain open
Multiple school boards shared social media posts Wednesday morning about their plans for the inclement weather.
Although the Toronto District School Board schools will remain open, School buses will be cancelled due to weather-related delays.
The Toronto Catholic District School Board noted schools will remain open but all school buses are cancelled due to expected freezing rain and icy road conditions.
The Peel District School Board said schools will remain open, but all buses in all zones will be cancelled “out of an abundance of caution.”
All Halton District School Board (HDSB) and Halton Catholic District School Board schools will remain open, but school buses in Zones 1, 2 and 3 will be cancelled, Halton Student Transportation Services said.
According to Durham Student Transportation Services, all transportation is cancelled Wednesday “due to inclement weather.”
In a statement Wednesday morning, Student Transportation Services of York Region said York Region District School Board and York Catholic District School Board schools will remain open. All school bus and taxi transportation service for the two boards will be cancelled region-wide.
The University of Toronto says it will be continuing to monitor the situation and will share an update by noon Wednesday.
Metrolinx service updates
Metrolinx also warned of potential delays to GO Transit and UP Express service Wednesday.
In a statement Tuesday, the agency encouraged commuters to plan ahead and allow extra time to get to their destinations. Riders can monitor the GO and UP websites for updates on delays and disruptions. GO riders can also sign up for real-time alerts.
In a post to social media, the Toronto Transit Commission said it is monitoring conditions.
“In areas where heavy snow or freezing rain may cause buses to become stuck, we may temporarily take select stops on certain routes out of service,” it said.
In a statement Tuesday, the City of Vaughan said a significant weather event would be in place as of 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.
York Region has also issued a special weather alert for Wednesday and Thursday for unhoused people.
Ontario Provincial Police warned drivers to be prepared to adjust their speed as roads may be slippery and icy.
“Keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road and your mind focused on the task of driving,” the OPP said.
Winter storm warning issued for GTA, with snow, ice pellets, freezing rain in store
In a post to social media Wednesday morning, Pearson International Airport said it is closely monitoring the forecasted “wintry storm.”
“Our crews are standing by to treat runways, taxiways and the apron if ice develops and are ready to deploy plows to clear critical areas if freezing rain turns to snow,” it said.
The airport said its facility is fully operational and traffic management initiatives will be in place to ensure planes can move “safely and efficiently throughout the day.”
Pearson added travellers should check their flight status ahead of going to the airport and allow extra time for road conditions.
