Fall's first snow for Toronto, Niagara and Ottawa will test drivers' patience
After a weekend of snowy weather to the north, it's finally southern Ontario's turn for some winter weather.
The first impactful, snowy system of the season for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, Niagara, and Ottawa will move in on Wednesday morning, possibly bringing whiteout conditions with it. Commuters can expect slow and slippery travel during this time, so plan leave plenty of time to get to your destination on time, and safely.
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For those in near Georgian Bay, from Cobourg to Kingston, and along Highway 21, commuters in these areas should consider avoiding travel if possible. Motorists should expect hazardous winter driving conditions and adjust travel plans accordingly.
A number of snow squall and blowing snow warnings, and winter weather travel advisories ,are in place.
Whiteout conditions possible with first snowfall on Wednesday
The difference in air temperatures over the Great Lakes and over land will serve to enhance the snowfall as it moves inland off of the lakes on Wednesday. This will also result in bursts of heavy snow and embedded snow squalls, making for a messy and dangerous situation.
The snow will begin early Wednesday morning across southern and eastern Ontario, just in time to impact morning commutes. All major routes will be impacted by the snow, but commuters in the southern Niagara region, as well as along Highway 401 east of Toronto up to Kingston, will be at an increased risk of significant snowfall accumulations and whiteout conditions.
Snowfall rates of 2-5 cm/h in these areas, paired with 50-70+ km/h wind gusts across southern Ontario, will rapidly deteriorate road conditions and impact the Wednesday and Thursday commutes.
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Historically, the first major snowfall of the season leads to increased accidents and traffic slowdowns, so folks in these specific areas should consider working from home and avoiding travel if possible.
In the GTA, areas along the immediate shorelines will see lower accumulations, limited to just a few cm due to melting snow, but a few kilometres inland can see 5-10 cm. As snowfall will fall in multiple bursts through the day, conditions can change rapidly.
Temperatures will be hovering around the freezing mark and could get just above it along the lakeshores, whereas farther inland temperatures will remain below freezing.
Parts of cottage country will also not be spared from this system as snow will be coming off of Lake Michigan and Huron, and Georgian Bay. Some locales could see 20-40 cm, with extreme amounts exceeding 50 cm. Luckily, those at risk will are north of the areas that saw the 100+ cm over the weekend. Areas along eastern Lake Ontario may see 10-25 cm.
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Temperatures hovering around freezing will also make the snow wet in nature, which could increase the chance for localized power outages.
The snowy and blustery conditions will continue into the Thursday morning commute.
Bursts of heavy snow and snow squalls will continue through Niagara and in the snowbelts following the system's exit in the morning.
Snow will continue to fall over the Ottawa region through Thursday afternoon before tapering off heading into the evening.
Stay with The Weather Network for more forecast information and updates on your weather across Ontario.
