Heavy snowfall in store for Toronto as winter storm hits Ontario
Commuters could see a messy drive home Wednesday evening with heavy snow expected to hit Toronto and surrounding areas as part of a major winter storm.
Snow has already begun falling in the city, which remains under a snowfall warning issued by Environment Canada on Tuesday night.
The forecast calls for the “significant snowfall” to continue until Thursday morning. Environment Canada said the city could receive about 15 centimetres of snow. The snow will be heavy at times, it added.
Wednesday night will see the heaviest snowfall, the federal weather agency said. At its peak, snowfall rates could be two to four centimetres per hour.
Snow may become mixed with ice pellets late Wednesday evening and overnight in some areas, but it is expected to taper off gradually on Thursday morning.
Environment Canada warned the snowfall will affect the Wednesday evening commute. Visibility could be poor during heavy snow and drivers should be prepared to adjust to changing road conditions, the weather agency said.
The following areas are currently under snowfall warning: Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Mississauga, Brampton, Uxbridge, Durham Region, Pickering, Oshawa, Newmarket, Georgina, York Region, Oakville, Halton Hills and Milton.
A winter storm warning is in effect Wednesday evening for Barrie, Collingwood, Hillsdale and Hamilton. Total snowfall amounts could reach up to 30 centimetres for Barrie, Collingwood and Hillsdale, with snowfall rates exceeding five centimetres an hour at the peak, and up to 15 centimetres for Hamilton, Environment Canada said.
Parking on snow routes banned from 10 p.m., city says
The City of Toronto has declared a significant weather event and major snowstorm condition starting 10 p.m. on Wednesday.

While these declarations are in place, parking on roads designated as snow routes is banned to make way for winter maintenance equipment, the city said in a news release Wednesday morning.
These routes are designated by signs that are up all year round, Barbara Gray, the city’s general manager of transportation services, said during a news conference Wednesday.
Vehicles parked on snow routes will be towed and owners could be fined up to $200, the city said.
The significant weather event declaration means the city will be exempt from provincial service levels for winter maintenance, as it will take longer than usual to clear city roads, sidewalks and bicycle lanes.
The city is anticipating more snow on the weekend, with a further 35 centimetres of snow possible by Sunday night, Gray said.
“We anticipate these declarations will remain in effect until Tuesday, but they could be cancelled sooner if the forecast changes and the roads are deemed safe and passable,” she said.
People are being asked to avoid plowing snow from their private property onto city roads or sidewalks.

TTC deploying extra workers, maintenance vehicles
In a news release, the TTC advised people to take public transit instead of driving during the storm.
A planned subway closure on Line 1 between Bloor-Yonge and Osgoode stations at 11 p.m. has been cancelled on Wednesday, it said, but the closures will happen on Thursday and Friday.
“Originally scheduled for state-of-good-repair track work, the cancellation will free up all available crews for storm mitigation efforts, including the redeployment of shuttle buses to add extra service to local bus routes,” the TTC said in the release.
“This strategic measure aims to preserve service levels in areas where heavy snowfall or other adverse weather conditions result in significant slowdowns, detours, or disruptions.”
The TTC said it is deploying additional TTC employees and maintenance vehicles throughout the transit system to spread salt and clear surfaces of snow and to keep signals, switches and overhead power operating.
The transit system will also monitor 56 bus stops in areas where heavy snow and freezing rain have affected service during previous wintry weather.
In addition, the TTC said it would also do the following to ensure service runs smoothly:
- Run “anti-icing” trains to keep the power rail and tracks clear of snow and ice.
- Spray anti-icing on the streetcar overhead network and on the ground at all bus, streetcar, and subway divisions.
- Stay in regular communication with the city to ensure crews are aware of problems on transit routes.
Thursday morning commute could also be affected
The storm is a widespread system affecting southern and eastern Ontario, said Geoff Coulson, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada.
He said Mississauga, Milton and Burlington could see flurries before heavier snowfall begins Wednesday afternoon.
Though most of the snow is expected to have fallen by Thursday morning, Coulson said ice pellets and freezing rain in some areas could create slick conditions for commuters.
“If you don’t need to be out there this evening or first thing on Thursday, [it’s] a good idea to be staying at home,” Coulson said.
People are urged to avoid non-essential travel during the storm, Ontario Provincial Police’s highway safety division said in a post on X on Tuesday night. Driving conditions are expected to deteriorate on Wednesday and Thursday, officials said.
Winter weather is on the way and will result in deteriorating driving conditions Wednesday and Thursday. <br>Avoid non-essential travel during the storm. If you have to be out there, adjust your driving and do not try to pass an echelon of snow plows clearing the roads. Stay in… <a href=”https://t.co/KTeGZYd5oX”>pic.twitter.com/KTeGZYd5oX</a>
—@OPP_HSD
Several flights cancelled, Pearson Airport says
Several airlines have cancelled or delayed flights in anticipation of the storm, Toronto Pearson International Airport said in a post on X on Wednesday morning.
People flying on Wednesday and Thursday are advised to check the status of their flight with their airline, it said.
Airport staff will clear snow off runways and taxiways Wednesday night and into Thursday morning, the airport said.
Public Safety Canada said everyone is encouraged to make an emergency plan and have an emergency kit that contains drinking water, food, medicine, a first aid kit and a flashlight.
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