A quiet blanket of snow greeted Toronto residents Sunday morning, a delicate dusting that hinted at the winter to come. But while lawns and roads shimmered white, it was a far cry from the conditions gripping other parts of Ontario.
The Greater Toronto Area appeared to have dodged a major blow, as the anticipated storm shifted and snow gradually transformed into rain throughout the day. A chilly Monday morning was still forecast, but the worst of the weather had bypassed the city.
Further afield, however, the story was dramatically different. Southern Ontario braced for impact as snow squall warnings remained active late Sunday, promising significant accumulations in several regions.
Environment Canada predicted light flurries and powerful wind gusts – reaching up to 60 km/h – would sweep across Toronto, Mississauga, and Brampton overnight into Monday. The resulting wind chill threatened to plunge temperatures to a biting -10 C.
North of the city, the forecast was far more severe. Communities were warned to expect up to 10 cm of fresh snowfall overnight, creating hazardous conditions.
Aurora and Richmond Hill found themselves under a snow squall yellow watch, extending northward towards Barrie and westward along the shores of Lake Huron. The Bruce Peninsula and surrounding communities were also included in the alert zone.
Further south, Woodstock, Norfolk County, and St. Thomas were issued similar watches, while London, Stratford, and Lambton Shores faced a more urgent yellow warning, anticipating 10-15 cm of snow by morning.
The eastern shore of Lake Superior also remained under alert, with some communities potentially receiving 10-15 cm of snow overnight, adding to the already challenging winter landscape.
These yellow alerts signal “moderate, localized, and/or short-term” hazardous weather, capable of causing disruption and impacting health. Travel was expected to be particularly difficult in areas under snowfall warnings, with visibility significantly reduced.
The current weather system followed a week of substantial snowfall, with regions west of Kitchener already burdened by nearly 30 cm of snow, and areas along Lake Huron reporting accumulations approaching 60 cm.
Commuters were urged to exercise extreme caution, anticipating challenging conditions and reduced visibility as the winter weather continued to unfold across the province.
