Icy storm pelts Ontario, causing travel disruptions and multiple power outages
The winter storm system caused numerous travel disruptions, school closures, and power outages across southern Ontario.
The icy storm that blew through southern Ontario on Wednesday afternoon has caused major disruptions across the province. The wintry mix of snow, freezing rain and ice pellets made roads slick, causing multiple wrecks, and more than 100 flight cancellations at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.
The system started early Wednesday afternoon and dropped periods of heavy snow followed by freezing rain and ice pellets. The icy mix continued overnight Wednesday, with about 10-20 cm of snow and ice reported across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Early Thursday morning, school buses were cancelled across numerous school boards, including Ottawa, the GTA, and the Hamilton region. The TTC made service changes, Go Transit adjusted their train schedule and Toronto Pearson International Airport cancelled or delayed several flights.
Ice accretion caused damage to power lines and downed trees, causing power outages. Hydro One has reported that at the height of the storm, over 33,000 customers were estimated to have lost power. The service reports that areas around Aylmer, Kent, and Essex were the hardest hit and, "will be without power tonight due to the extent of the damage."
The storm will continue to affect parts of Ontario on Thursday. Eastern Ontario continues to see periods of snow, particularly in the city of Ottawa. Southern Ontario is under a widespread freezing drizzle advisory and could continue to see light icing and freezing rain throughout the day.
See below for Tweets on the storm’s impact across Ontario:
WATCH BELOW: Why freezing rain and pine trees don't mix well
Thumbnail courtesy of Mark Robinson.
Stay tuned to The Weather Network for the latest forecast for Ontario.
