State of emergency in Ontario's Dufferin County, more snow on the way

Thursday, January 30, 2014, 4:38 PM -

Ontario's Dufferin County remains in a state of emergency  due to the havoc caused by blowing snow and frigid temperatures.

The dangerous driving conditions resulted in multiple road closures on Wednesday and Thursday, prompting Dufferin County warden Bill Hill to ask for help.

Hill says the weather has had a major impact on critical infrastructure and outside assistance is needed to deal with the situation as local resources are exhausted.

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By Thursday afternoon, some country roads had re-opened, but officials are advising residents to avoid travel at all costs.

According to Hill, the state of emergency is expected to remain in place for two to three days and police officials are advising motorists to stay off the roads in the area for the time being.

Snow squalls Wednesday also left a number of motorists stranded on Highway 401 near Napanee.

Snowdrift in Shelburne, Ontario Wednesday. Courtesy: Sarah Christensen

Nine people were taken to hospital after at least 20 transport trucks and several other vehicles crashed in whiteout conditions between Napanee and Deseronto.

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MORE SNOW ON THE WAY

As several communities continue to dig out, an Alberta Clipper could bring an additional 2-5 cm through Friday.

" Snow will move its way across northern Ontario from the west, throughout the day Thursday, and then move east. Areas around Georgian Bay and the shores of Lake Huron will start to see the snow late afternoon on Thursday," says Weather Network meteorologist Dayna Vettese in her latest Insider Insight.

"The Golden Horseshoe and through the Greater Toronto Area shouldn’t start to see the snow until the late evening hours. Eastern Ontario and southern Quebec will get into the snow Thursday overnight."

Vettese adds that while this isn't a whole lot of snow, the fresh layer combined with gusty winds could result in a messy and slower commute.

SATURDAY STORM

The bigger story? A potential snowstorm on Saturday that could bring up to 20 cm of snow to some places.

This Colorado low is a complicated system however, as it's expected to tap into some Gulf moisture and warmth.

"And what that means is the exact track of the system will determine the type of precipitation that falls in your area," Vettese adds.

Precipitation from this second system will move into southern Ontario Saturday morning coming from the southwest and move northeast.

WHAT ABOUT THE LONG RANGE? Chief Meteorologist Chris Scott discusses the potential for a major storm next week