Toronto digging out from massive dump of snow after brutal winter storm
Toronto is buried in snow after a nasty winter system rolled through the region Wednesday evening, causing chaos and cancellations across the city on Thursday morning.
At least 15 centimetres of snow now blankets Toronto as city crews work hard to clean up the mess.
Even before the snow began to fall, the TTC announced heavy cuts to service, including the closure of the entire Line 3 Scarborough RT and 41 bus stops located on hilly terrain that would be difficult to service in snowy conditions.
One of Toronto's most notoriously dangerous stretches of road after a winter storm is the steep hill on Avenue Road south of St. Clair, where drivers often struggle to gain traction in heavy snow.
Avenue Rd is now a problem in #Toronto with vehicles unable to climb the hill, some sliding backwards. But no stuck #TTC buses so that's good!#Onstorm pic.twitter.com/e2m4ZwU430
— Tom Stef (@vaughanweather) February 23, 2023
City roads are treacherous, but the stakes are even higher on 400 series highways, where several major collisions were reported amid the snowfall.
Close Call On Hwy410 N @ Courtney Park. #drivesafe
— 401_da_sarpanch (@401_da_sarpanch) February 23, 2023
.#Hwy410 #Mississauga #ONHwys #Onstorm #OPP #Snowfall #WINTER #Peelpolice #roadsafety #trucking #TruckDriver pic.twitter.com/7QoaX2BUt6
Close calls, crashes, and countless stuck vehicles were reported.
Exits Off Hwy 401 In Scarborough Has Cars Stuck Everyone. 🥶
— 401_da_sarpanch (@401_da_sarpanch) February 23, 2023
.#hwy401 #ONHwys #WINTER #Scarborough #Onstorm #Toronto #TruckDriver #trucking #Snowfall pic.twitter.com/yGQumf6T8Y
Over at Toronto Pearson International Airport, upwards of 100 flights were cancelled as the local weather system coincided with a winter storm striking parts of the U.S.
The winter storm that pounded the U.S. Midwest and southern Ontario is causing major travel headaches today. Some 750 US flights cancelled as of 7:30 am EST. 100-plus flights cancelled in/out of Toronto Pearson. https://t.co/FwY5bV49aE #ONStorm #winterstorm #Toronto #Pearson
— Canada's Travel Guy (@JimByersTravel) February 23, 2023
The conditions have led to school bus cancellations, but it is technically not a snow day for kids as TDSB schools remain open.
Due to weather-related delays, all buses are cancelled today, however schools will remain open.
— Toronto District School Board (@tdsb) February 23, 2023
Others made the best of a bad situation, like one person recorded on the doorbell camera of a Toronto residence, blasting by on a snowboard towed by a vehicle.
Caught Someone on our @ring cam “snowboarding” down our street after yesterday’s snowstorm 🤷♂️#Ring #Onstorm#TheweatherNetwork #snowboarding #Snow #Winter #OntarioStorm #ontario pic.twitter.com/ClLpXPp7Hk
— Rick (@JustRickStuff) February 23, 2023
Despite the massive snowfall, Toronto was relatively lucky compared to other regions of southern Ontario, where ice accretion caused damage evocative of the destructive 2013 ice storm that rocked the province.
I have found a pocket of EXTREME tree damage in Norfolk County around the Fairgrounds vicinity. I have measured 0.6-0.7" radial ice accretion using pieces that have fallen from treetops. Flat surfaces have 1+" accretion. Trees ravaged. #ONstorm@ECCCWeatherON @southernon_wx pic.twitter.com/p1ZLpdeljV
— David Piano (@ONwxchaser) February 23, 2023
Norfolk county was especially hard hit, with tree branches and power lines encased in a thick layer of ice.
You've gotta be kidding me. #icestorm #ONstorm pic.twitter.com/eheJ7Bt3aV
— David Piano (@ONwxchaser) February 23, 2023
Toronto is expected to see another light dusting of snow Thursday evening, though it looks like the worst of this system has passed, leaving what is hopefully the last heavy shovelling and plowing activity of the season.
