Winter Storm Warnings Issued in Northeastern Ontario
A harsh winter storm is hitting southern and eastern Ontario, prompting winter storm warnings, snowfall warnings, and freezing rain warnings from Parry Sound north to Timmins and from Sault Ste. Marie to Mattawa.
In the affected areas, up to 20 centimetres of snow could accumulate, significantly impacting travel and daily activities. Environment Canada meteorologist Eric Tomlinson noted that the weather situation will be messy, starting with snow and potentially switching to ice pellets and freezing rain.
As a result of the severe weather conditions, many school buses have been cancelled on Wednesday in the impacted regions. Ontario’s 511 reports highway conditions ranging from partly snow-covered to fully snow-covered, with some areas experiencing reduced visibility.
Travelers are advised to prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. “As we head towards Sudbury, North Bay, that’s a really big mixed bag of precipitation for this event,” Tomlinson added, indicating the complexity of the weather system.
In addition to the warnings in northeastern Ontario, hazardous winter conditions are expected on the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt. Up to 60 centimetres of snow is anticipated to fall on the Coquihalla by Thursday morning, coupled with strong southwest wind gusts reaching up to 100 km/h.
These wind gusts are expected to create near-zero visibility in blowing snow, further complicating travel. Environment Canada has warned that snow will begin in earnest late Wednesday afternoon as the low approaches the highway.
Officials are closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as conditions evolve. Residents are encouraged to stay informed and take necessary precautions during this winter storm warning weather event.
