Photos: Major Ontario cities, GTA get a snow day as 20+ cm blankets region
Schools and businesses across the Greater Toronto Area were closed on Thursday as over 25 cm of snow fell over the region
A high-impact winter storm swept through southern Ontario on Wednesday night, leaving many communities, including Ottawa and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), digging out of at least 10-20+ cm of snow on Thursday morning. For several areas, this is the biggest snowfall of the season to date.
A Texas low swept into the province on Wednesday, pulling in warm, moist air that clashed with the cold Arctic air sitting over the Prairies and northern Ontario.
Snowfall rates reached 2-4 cm/h through the overnight Wednesday, resulting in a messy situation Thursday morning.
Toronto Pearson International Airport reported 26 cm of snow on Thursday morning—the largest two-day snowfall event to impact the GTA since 2022. Meanwhile, 31 cm was reported in Ottawa.
Areas where the warmer air was able to beat the cold air saw freezing rain fall overnight, limiting snow totals but creating slick and dangerous roadway conditions on Thursday. The Niagara Region bore the brunt of the freezing rain Wednesday night, resulting in almost 3,000 Niagara Peninsula Energy customers to lose power.
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Many school boards have announced full closures on Thursday morning, including the Peel District School Board and Toronto District School Board.
Widespread flight delays and cancellations across Ontario and Quebec were also reported on Thursday, with the delays expected to last through the day.
Major highways throughout the region also became incredibly slick due to the snow, resulting in many vehicles and transports getting stuck in ditches along Highway 401. Drivers were urged to stay off the roads if possible until roads and highways can be cleared.
The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) also experienced delays as buses became stuck in the snow.
Thankfully, the snow eased across the region late in the morning, although cleanup will likely take a while yet.
See below for visuals posted to social media showcasing the impacts of this event across Ontario.
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