Latest winter blast could leave 15 centimetres of snow on the ground
Toronto is getting hit with another blast of winter on Wednesday, with fast-falling snow making it difficult to go anywhere in a timely manner.
A snowfall warning is in effect, with Environment Canada reporting that as much as 15 centimetres may have piled up in Toronto by the time the day is done.
On Wednesday morning, there were many problems on roads across the Greater Toronto Area, including for those making their way into the city from the Niagara Region along the QEW.
Some drivers told CBC it was taking two hours to travel from the Burlington and Oakville areas into downtown Toronto.
"The snow is making for slick conditions on the roads and some blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility," said CBC meteorologist Jay Scotland.
"It's really a good day to take it easy slow down."
Toronto police were sending out a similar message, but going as far to as to say that if you don’t have to go anywhere, you shouldn't.
A steady stream of road closures and on-road collisions were reported by police in Toronto, York and Peel regions, as well as by the OPP.
Mayor Rob Ford took to Twitter to appeal to those living in Toronto to be cautious when making their way around the city on Wednesday.
During the morning, GO Transit warned passengers to leave extra time for their trip. "We expect delays," GO said in a tweet.
The TTC also had weather-related delays on its streetcar routes and no service on the Scarborough RT due to switch problems at McCowan station.
The Scarborough RT was then closed for the first-half of Wednesday afternoon, so that crews could clear ice and snow from its tracks.
That shutdown prompted one Toronto councillor to wade into the long-running debate over the council-backed plan to extend the subway to replace the aging Scarborough RT.
The weather is also causing problems at Pearson International Airport with more than 300 flights cancelled as of noon, mainly due to snowy weather in the northeastern U.S. Travellers are asked to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
The airport said that it had more than 100 pieces of snow-clearing equipment in service on Wednesday, in a bid to keep the runways operating safely.
The south-central Ontario region of the CAA fielded 450 service calls from drivers.
The city also issued a cold weather alert, which makes available more services for the city's homeless.
The heaviest snowfalls on Wednesday are expected to occur in and around the areas of Hamilton, Oakville and the Niagara Escarpment.
The snow is expected to taper off by mid-afternoon on Wednesday. Total accumulation by then could be around 10 to 15 centimetres from Windsor to Toronto and into Eastern Ontario.