Hamilton, Niagara Region wakes up to winter storm dumping heavy snow and ice

A messy mix of snow and ice blanketed Hamilton and Niagara Region after a winter storm moved through the regions overnight.

Snowfall and ice pellets began Wednesday and intensified into the evening and overnight hours.

Environment Canada estimates close to 15 cm of combined freezing rain and snow fell across Hamilton on Wednesday with the wind reaching as much as 70 km/h at times.

On Thursday morning, the agency issued a “freezing drizzle warning” for Hamilton, Halton and Niagara Regions with icy and slippery conditions expected due to temperatures still near the freezing mark and periods of drizzle expected Thursday morning and possibly early in the afternoon.

“Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery,” the statement said.

“Freezing drizzle can produce thin, hard-to-detect layers of ice. Take extra care when walking or driving in affected areas.”

The late Wednesday ice storm forced a number of schools and municipal entities to issue closure and cancellation notices for Thursday.

School buses were cancelled across Hamilton, Halton and Niagara forcing most schools to cease operations on Thursday.

The latest operational status of those services and schools can be seen here.

Alectra didn’t report any significant power outages due to the storm early Thursday.

However, Canadian Niagara Power is reporting an outage in Fort Erie, Stevensville, Crystal Beach and Ridgeway.

In an update just before 8 a.m., OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says traffic across southern Ontario has been building Thursday morning and there has been a “spike” in crashes since 6 a.m. as a result of the winter weather.

Police did report a tractor trailer rolled over early Thursday in Flamborough on Highway 6 at Concession 7 East. There were no serious injuries.

“You are going to need a fair amount of washer fluid with all of the spray coming off of vehicles,” Schmidt told 900 CHML’s Good Morning Hamilton.

“Give yourself that space, give yourself that time, and slow down just a bit to be able to respond to those rapid events in front of you.”

The forecast for Thursday is calling for periods of freezing drizzle and local blowing snow with winds up to 60 km/h.

The high is expected to reach 1 C with the wind chill making it feel like -3 C.

Thursday night is calling for more freezing drizzle ending late evening before becoming cloudy with a chance of flurries and a low of -7 C.

Clouds and flurries are expected right through the weekend with highs between 2 C and -2 C.

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