Ontario's snow squalls continue, leading to crashes, school closures (PHOTOS)
After a weekend snowstorm dumped up to 140 centimetres in the Muskoka region, snow has finally made its way to the rest of Ontario, prompting widespread bus cancellations and hazardous driving conditions.
Meteorological winter in Ontario has kicked off on a snowy note after a weekend of potent snow squalls to parts of the province and now a clipper system bringing the first widespread snow to the rest of southern and eastern Ontario. At this point, it’s safe to say that everyone in Ontario has had their snowy introduction to winter.
Snow squall warnings and weather advisories span the majority of southern and eastern parts of the province Thursday morning, and almost all major routes were were moving slower than normal, partly due to the snow.
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The same system that contributed to widespread school bus cancellations on Wednesday in eastern, northwestern, and northeastern Ontario continued to impact the region Thursday morning, prompting some schools to close in London.
This latest bout of snowfall marks the first snow event for major areas in Ontario, such as the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area, Niagara, and Ottawa. As such, drivers on the road should prepare for delays throughout the day as road conditions change and drivers adjust back to winter travel.
Snow is expected to continue for parts of the province on Thursday, with some of the harder-hit areas, including London, expecting to get another 20-40+ cm of snow by the end of the day.
"Several bands of snow squalls from Lake Huron will affect the region today through tonight," says Environment Canada and Climate Change in a snow squall warning issued for London, Ont., and surrounding areas. "Locally higher snowfall accumulations exceeding 60 cm are possible, especially if a single strong snow squall locks in for a few hours or more beginning Thursday morning."
Drivers are reminded to plan ahead, leave extra time, and prepare to adjust their driving to changing conditions. Blowing snow and whiteout conditions are expected throughout the region as winds pick up over the day.
The snow has contributed to multiple incidents on major highways, including on the eastbound lane of Highway 401 at Winston Churchill, where one driver was taken to the hospital Wednesday night, according to the Ontario Provincial Police.
Motorists can get up-to-date information on highway closures, here.
Localized power outages are also possible due to the wet nature of the snow.
Visuals of the significant snowfall event have been circulating online. Below is just a selection of what is making the rounds so far.
A vehicle went into a ditch on Trafalgar Rd. north of Dundas St. in Oakville, Ont., on Dec. 4, 2024. According to reports, one person was assessed by EMS.(Jeremy Cohn/The Weather Network)
Another view of the vehicle that went into a ditch on Trafalgar Rd. north of Dundas St. in Oakville, Ont., on Dec. 4, 2024. (Jeremy Cohn/The Weather Network)
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