"This major winter storm is quite large in size and will have a major impact on travel especially tonight and on Wednesday," Environment Canada said in its Tuesday morning warning.
It will be "the strongest storm of the season" for urbanized areas like Toronto that are outside the Ontario snowbelt.
The agency upgraded a winter storm watch in southern Ontario, stretching from Windsor to Kingston, to a warning — the most urgent type of weather advisory Environment Canada uses.
A warning is typically issued between six and 24 hours before the start of severe weather.
By the time the storm finishes Wednesday, large swaths of southern Ontario could have snowfall accumulations of between 20 and 30 centimetres, the agency predicted.
Heavy snow is expected to hit southwestern Ontario on Tuesday evening, and the Toronto area around midnight. It is then predicted to move into eastern Ontario on Wednesday morning.
The snow will be accompanied by strong and gusting winds of 40 to 60 km/h at their strongest, Environment Canada said.
The storm is currently over Texas and will bear down on the Great Lakes later Tuesday, the agency said.
"Major winter storms originating in Texas usually have a fairly large band of heavy snow in areas on the cold," Environment Canada said.
"The public should be prepared to change plans accordingly to avoid unnecessary travel during the storm as travelling conditions will be dangerous at times."
The Canadian Automobile Association advises motorists to avoid the roads or give themselves extra travel time on Wednesday.
It also suggests they carry:
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