Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for Toronto, saying a “messy mix of wintry weather” has hit the area Wednesday evening and will extend until Friday morning.
The statement issued Wednesday said a low-pressure system is expected to track northeast across Lake Erie and Lake Ontario Thursday night and will bring with it a “mix of wintry precipitation” for southern Ontario.
“Precipitation will likely begin as rain (Wednesday) evening, transition to freezing rain or ice pellets Thursday and then to snow Thursday night,” the statement reads.
The agency said the area could receive between 15 and 25 millimetres of rain beginning on Wednesday evening and continuing into Thursday.
The statement warned of “icy and slippery surfaces.”
The agency also said snow is expected, and warned that it could be heavy at times.
Environment Canada said snowfall accumulations between 10 and 20 centimetres are possible.
“At this time the track of this low pressure system is uncertain, and as such precipitation type, timing and amounts may change,” the statement reads.
The agency warned that road closures are possible and utility outages could occur.
In a tweet Wednesday, Toronto paramedics said if you need to drive, “please remember to clean off your vehicle, slow down and leave lots of space.”
“If you’re at home and able, shoveling and salting will help prevent slips and falls and make it easier for our first responders to get to you,” the tweet read.
The City of Toronto also tweeted, saying residents are “encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel” and to “keep a close eye on local forecasts.”
“If travelling, slow down and stay alert.”
In a press release issued Wednesday afternoon, the city said it has more than 1,500 personnel, 600 snow plows, 360 sidewalk plows and 200 salt trucks that it is ready to deploy in response to the storm.
“Salt trucks are ready and will be deployed as soon as the rain changes to freezing rain,” the release reads. “Plows are ready and will be deployed as soon as snow accumulation reaches 2.5 centimetres on expressways, five centimetres on major roads and eight centimetres on local roads.”
The city also said sidewalk and bike lane plows will be deployed when there is two centimetres of snow accumulation.