A messy mix of snow and ice has blanketed the Greater Toronto Area, and much of southern Ontario, on Thursday morning after a winter storm moved through the region overnight.
Snowfall and ice pellets began Wednesday and intensified into the evening and overnight hours.
The area was predicted to see between 15 and 25 cm of snow. As of midnight, Pearson airport reported 15 cm of snow and ice pellets.
On Thursday morning, Environment Canada issued a “freezing drizzle warning” for Toronto as icy and slippery conditions are expected due to sub-zero temperatures when the precipitation falling is expected to freeze on contact and over time, create icy surfaces.
“Heavy snow has tapered off,” the weather agency noted. “However, temperatures are still below the freezing mark and periods of freezing drizzle, at times mixed with ice pellets, are expected this morning and possibly this afternoon.”
They also warn surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.
“Freezing drizzle can produce thin, hard-to-detect layers of ice. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas,” Environment Canada said.
Meanwhile, some GTA school boards to the west of Toronto such as Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Waterloo have announced schools are closed due to the weather. All school buses in the GTA were cancelled.
School buses are cancelled for both Toronto public and Catholic school boards, but schools are open.
In an update just before 7 a.m., OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says traffic has been building Thursday morning and crashes have increased as a result of the winter weather.
“Please be careful out there, the roads are still slippery,” Schmidt said. “Try to prevent yourself from ending up in the ditch or into another vehicle.”
After the storm moves through, weather forecasters say cold, frigid temperatures are expected Friday and into the weekend.
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