GTA braces as superstorm Sandy moves north

TORONTO – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford is warning residents to stay safe as superstorm Sandy is expected to pass east of Toronto.

The northeastern United States will take the brunt of the storm but there is the potential for significant impacts in southern and eastern Ontario, Environment Canada warns.

The Canadian Hurricane Centre said northerly winds were increasing over southern Ontario Monday night and through to Tuesday morning, with some areas reporting gusts above 80 kilometres per hour which were expected to get stronger.

A wind warning has been issued for the City of Toronto as the storm approaches. Ford asked Torontonians to stay vigilant in the coming days as the storm moves closer to Toronto.

He also urged residents to not hesitate calling 311 with any problems such as power outages, or fallen trees and branches.

“Toronto is a great city and we are well prepared for hurricane Sandy,” Ford said.

TTC Chair Karen Stintz also tweeted the commission’s five-point plan for preparing public transit. The plan includes monitoring the storm, and subway track and road conditions for flooding or downed branches.

Part of the preparedness plan falls on commuters, Stintz tweeted saying “bus & streetcar customers should leave themselves extra time. Storms do cause traffic delays which impact service.”

Finally, Stintz said the TTC will alert commuters via e-alerts and Twitter, and will alert local media of any service delays.

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“Safety will trump service in all cases,” Stintz wrote.

Hundreds of flights have been cancelled or delayed at Toronto Pearson International Airport ahead of the “superstorm.”

As of 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, over 300 flights – almost 25 per cent of all flights on Monday – have been cancelled at Pearson, most of which were destinations to and from the U.S. East Coast.

Porter Airlines, which flies from Billy Bishop Airport on the Toronto island, has cancelled all flights to and from Newark, Washington and Boston until noon on Tuesday. Passengers bound for the Canadian East Coast are advised to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

Follow our live blog to see the latest analysis and information on Hurricane Sandy, as well as updates on how Toronto is preparing.

Significant rainfall with strong and gusty winds are likely for late Monday and into Tuesday morning. A total of 20 to 40 millimetres is expected Monday through Tuesday morning as the post-tropical storm moves into the area.
Rainfall warnings appear to be unlikely.

Southern Ontario can expect to see 50 to 70km/h winds beginning later Monday afternoon with severe gusts up to 100km/h. Gale force winds are expected along the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River.

“Winds will be very strong Monday night and Tuesday, with northerly 100 kilometre per hour gusts a possibility in Toronto,” says Global News meteorologist Anthony Farnell. “Luckily, most trees have lost their foliage so damage will be less… still expecting plenty of tree branch debris and power outages across all of southern Ontario, including the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).”

Global’s Skytracker charts the most likely course of the storm:

Allison J. Stuart, chief of Emergency Management Ontario (EMO), says people should take the warnings seriously. “We should not ignore this storm,” she said during an appearance on Global Toronto’s The Morning Show.

Stuart said EMO is focused on the potential for high winds. People should check their yards and balconies for items that could blow away and cause damage, she said.

Stuart also advises parents to keep their children safe by keeping them indoors and to be ready for intermittent power outages.

The Canadian Red Cross is urging people in Southern Ontario to prepare for the storm.

“The Canadian Red Cross encourages all Canadians to take some steps to ensure their safety. Be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least 72 hours in an emergency,” said Denis Dion, national director of disaster management for the Canadian Red Cross in a press release. “By taking some time now to store emergency food, water and other supplies, you can provide for your entire family during a power outage or evacuation.”

The storm is expected to weaken late Tuesday and on Halloween, the weather agency says.