If you were hoping for a clear drive home to kick off the weekend, you might want to leave the office a little early.
A fresh blanket of snow is officially on its way to Southern Ontario, and it’s looking like it will bring some major disruptions to the 401 and beyond.
While the city has enjoyed some relatively mild days this past week, the winter weather is making a swift comeback for the weekend. According to The Weather Network, forecasters are warning that a snowy system will begin as light flurries in the morning before ramping up into a much heavier mess right as the Friday evening commute begins.
The GTA can expect to see snow start sticking to the ground by Friday afternoon. While the downtown core and Hamilton might see a bit of a wet mix thanks to the lake, areas just north of the city and east toward Oshawa are bracing for snowfall totals between 5cm and 10cm.
It’s not just the snow you’ll have to contend with, though. The system is bringing along some serious muscle, with wind gusts expected to hit up to 90 km/h in some parts of the region. Between the blowing snow and the heavy winds, visibility on the roads will likely be a challenge, and there is a lingering possibility of localized power outages for those in the strongest gust zones.
The snow is expected to taper off into Saturday morning, leaving us with a chilly, below-seasonal weekend. However, the winter drama might not be over just yet, as meteorologists are already keeping a close eye on a second, potentially more powerful storm brewing for later in the weekend.
If you’re planning on heading out, be sure to check the latest transit updates and give yourself plenty of extra time to reach your destination safely.
