Weather alert issued for Toronto as heavy snowstorm approaches

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for downtown Toronto and other parts of the GTA in anticipation of another fierce, widespread snow event that's expected to begin on Thursday afternoon.

It may not be as intense as the wicked storm that dumped up to 30 cm in some parts of the region on Monday, but meteorologists say the incoming system will bring enough snow to make driving conditions dangerous tonight and tomorrow morning.

"Lake enhanced snowfall is expected to locally boost snowfall amounts to 10 to 15 cm in parts of the west end of the Greater Toronto Area," wrote the federal weather agency in an advisory issued early Thursday.

"Accumulating snow could cause poor driving conditions, and impact the commute this evening and Friday morning. The localized nature of lake enhanced snow means that snowfall intensity and accumulations may vary considerably between nearby locations."

Drivers are advised to give themselves plenty of extra time to reach their destinations, especially if travelling on the Gardiner, QEW or local 400-series highways.

By the time this potent U.S. system peters out on Friday, parts of Toronto by the lake could see an extra 20 cm of snowfall on the ground. Temperatures are still too cold for much of anything to melt yet, according to meteorologists.

Fortunately, the weekend is looking "fair" with near-seasonal temperatures of -2 C and -3 C forecast for Saturday and Sunday, respectively.

"Another system is expected late Sunday and into Monday, though the exact track is still uncertain at this time," reads an update from the Weather Network published Thursday morning. 

"This system does have the potential, however, to bring another 5-10 cm snowfall to southern Ontario Sunday night and into Monday."