Pickering, Oshawa, Southern Durham Region remain under weather advisory
Areas east of Toronto expected to receive between 5 and 10 centimetres of snow on Friday
A weather advisory remained in place for Pickering, Oshawa and Southern Durham Region Friday evening as the areas are forecast to receive between five and 10 centimetres of snow, Environment Canada says.
The federal weather agency says the snow is expected to be heaviest on Friday evening, with two to to four centimetres an hour at its peak leading to reduced visibility.
"Travel may be hazardous due to sudden changes in the weather," the federal weather agency says.
"Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop."
Environment Canada says an Alberta Clipper is responsible for the snowfall.
Other parts of southern Ontario, including Barrie, Collingwood and Hillsdale, are also under a winter weather travel advisory on Friday, with five to 10 centimetres of snow in the forecast as well.
Close to five centimetres of snow is expected in Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Newmarket, Georgina and the northern York Region.
Toronto, Mississauga and Brampton were under a winter weather advisory earlier on Friday, but it has since been lifted.
Snow removal continues in Toronto
In an update sent Friday, the City of Toronto said its snow removal operations, which started on Feb. 19, will resume fully this weekend once salting and plowing is completed on city roads and sidewalks. City officials have previously said the process — where crews collect snow in dump trucks and move it to designated sites — could take up to three weeks.
Crews have removed 154,279 tonnes of snow off of city streets since Feb. 19, the city says. A total of 15,837 loads of snow has been dumped at the designated sites.
The major snowstorm condition and significant weather event declarations, which took effect on Feb. 12, are still in place and will remain so until snow removal operations are completed, the city said. The declarations mean parking continues to be banned on snow routes and all streetcar routes.
Residents should expect to see temporary orange signs in snowbanks letting them know that snow removal will be taking place shortly and to move their vehicles off the street to allow crews to operate, the city added. Crew members may also knock on doors to get residents to move their vehicles.
Toronto police have issued 3,631 tickets and towed 74 vehicles since the major snowstorm condition took effect.
Five warming centres in the city continue to be open for people experiencing homelessness to provide a place to rest, access to meals, washrooms and referrals to emergency shelters. They are located at:
- 136 Spadina Rd.
- 55 John St. in Metro Hall.
- 75 Elizabeth St.
- 12 Holmes Ave.
- 885 Scarborough Golf Club Rd.