GTA getting 1st blast of winter weather Wednesday
Crashes reported, snow falling heavier north of the city
The Greater Toronto Area is getting its first taste of winter weather on Wednesday, with areas north of the city being hit the hardest.
A low pressure system that landed in the morning is bringing snow and high winds to parts of the region, according to a weather advisory from Environment Canada.
The Toronto area could see close to five centimetres before the snow tapers off by the evening, the federal weather agency says.
Environment Canada says the snowfall could result in reduced visibility and hazardous driving conditions. It says there may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in some areas.
OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CBC News that officers were very busy with calls for service Wednesday, with dozens of crashes through the morning alone on OPP-patrolled highways.
"Collision reporting centres are very busy," he said.
Just how much snow you might encounter really depends on your location, Schmidt said, with less snow in downtown Toronto, but bigger accumulations as you head farther north through areas like Orillia and Huntsville.
"The weather may not be coming down as heavy in some areas, but sometimes just that little bit of moisture can make for very slippery and slick driving and catch drivers by surprise," he said.
Significant winter weather is tracking across Ontario, The OPP are advising motorists to stay off the roads until the weather system passes and the roads have been cleared. <a href="https://twitter.com/OPP_CR?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@OPP_CR</a> ^ks <a href="https://t.co/ciamVsnjIE">pic.twitter.com/ciamVsnjIE</a>
—@OPP_HSDPeel paramedic officials told CBC News they responded to a number of crashes through the morning, especially on highways 403 and 407 — with multiple collisions on the 407 between Airport Road and Mississauga Road.
Some patients have sustained minor injuries, officials say.
Parts of Ontario still digging out from a major weekend storm are also expected to get another dump of snow.
The agency said Wednesday morning that Huntsville could see up to 14 centimetres of snow accumulation while Bracebridge, Gravenhurst and northern Kawartha Lakes could get up to 10 centimetres through the evening.
"Crews are still working on restoring power from last weekend's power outage and weather event," Schmidt said.
Officers from the Huntsville OPP detachment warned in a news release in the early afternoon that weather and road conditions were continuing to deteriorate.
"The OPP is urging the public to avoid non-essential travel during this time," the statement reads. "Additional vehicles on the roads put occupants at risk and add additional challenges for snow removal."
Richmond Hill is also warning that snow clearing delays could happen if heavy snowfall occurs in the region. CUPE 905 workers are currently on strike.
"Clearing of the city's 1,100km of roads will experience some delays if there is more than 5 cm of snow accumulated," the city said in a statement.
"Clearing of the city's nearly 750 km of sidewalks will also be affected as salting will be delayed and it may take up to two days to plow any significant accumulation. Pedestrians are encouraged to take precaution while using sidewalks and pathways."
With files from The Canadian Press