A significant ice storm is predicted to affect Waterloo region, Guelph, and Wellington County on Wednesday, bringing several hours of freezing rain.
Environment Canada has issued an orange warning for freezing rain, which is expected to start overnight on Wednesday or in the early morning, easing off by the evening.
The weather agency indicates that there could be several hours of freezing rain leading to ice accumulation between five and 10 mm, with some areas possibly seeing up to 15 mm. This situation may cause power outages and damage to trees, accompanied by winds gusting up to 60 km/h.
Eric Tomlinson, a meteorologist focusing on warning preparedness at Environment Canada, mentioned that the low-pressure system originated over Montana on Tuesday.
“It tracked eastward and then southeastward across the Great Lakes and is now impacting the southern half of our province,” he said.
He cautioned that surfaces will likely be very slippery, especially in elevated regions.
“Areas closer to Lake Huron may be less affected with temperatures likely rising above the freezing mark,” Environment Canada stated in its online orange warning.
“Roads and walkways will likely become icy and slippery. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic. There is risk of injury due to slips and falls.”
This comes alongside a yellow fog advisory that began for Waterloo region and Guelph on Tuesday morning, with reports of near-zero visibility in certain areas.
Environment Canada mentions that visibility might suddenly decrease at times on Tuesday before improving later in the morning. Motorists are advised to turn on their full headlight system, slow down, and keep a safe distance from other vehicles.
People are encouraged to stay updated with the latest forecasts and alerts while exercising caution when traveling.
Tomlinson also warned there’s more winter weather expected by the end of the week.
The upcoming system “is going to form over Colorado and head towards us for Friday. And it’s a system that we’ll have to monitor. We’ll have a clearer picture once the one [on Wednesday] moves through, but it’s another one to watch because there is potential for mixed precipitation with this next system as well.”
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GO Transit warning of delays
GO Transit alerted customers on Tuesday that delays could happen Wednesday for its routes throughout southwestern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area. “We’re encouraging everyone to plan ahead, allow extra time and travel with caution,” a release stated. The provincial transit service asks people to visit their website or sign up for On the GO alerts for updates regarding delays or cancellations. “We know that weather-related delays can be frustrating for customers; however we must take appropriate measures to ensure the GO Transit network operates safely in all kinds of weather conditions.”Source link
