Many of the images that have come out of parts of southern Ontario after a major winter storm several days ago are shocking.
Among the areas hardest hit was the Niagara Region, where lake-effect snowsqualls powered by strong winds dropped plenty of snow.
Photos from The Canadian Press near Fort Erie, Ont., show some houses along the shoreline encased in thick ice.
“What caused that impressive ice build-up on those homes was the intense battering that part of the Lake Erie shoreline took from the powerful storm last week,” Global News meteorologist Ross Hull said.
“Large waves and spray kicked up by the strong gusts over 120 km/h came up over the break wall, then froze very quickly during the flash freeze.”
Niagara Region declared a state of emergency due to the storm, which remains in effect.
Roads were closed and emergency alerts were even issued for some areas over the weekend — including Fort Erie — advising residents to avoid travel.
Hull said milder weather is now on the way heading into the weekend, along with rain, leading to flooding concerns.
“At this point it looks like the heaviest rain will be north of the Niagara area but with all the snow on the ground in this region coupled with rain falling on top of it, there is the concern for some localized flooding in the area,” he said.
Across the border, in Buffalo, N.Y., more than 30 people are reported to have died due to the blizzard.
There, the National Guard is going door to door in parts of Buffalo and its suburbs to check on people who lost power. Authorities are facing the tragic possibility of finding more victims amid melting snow as a deep freeze eases into milder weather.
— With files from The Associated Press
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