A pedestrian uses an umbrella to shield themselves from the driving sleet and snow in Toronto’s Financial District on Feb. 18.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The risk of flooding and widespread power outages loomed over Ontario on Tuesday with major rainfall and freezing rain set to batter a wide swath of the province.
Much of the province was under yellow and orange weather warnings with the storm expected to hit Tuesday night through Wednesday.
Eastern Ontario could be among the hardest-hit regions with some areas expected to endure 24 hours of potent freezing rain, Environment Canada said. Widespread utility outages were possible as up to 20 millimetres of ice buildup was expected to test the resilience of trees and power lines.
The forecast looked similar to the major 2023 ice storm that knocked out power to tens of thousands in eastern Ontario, said warning preparedness meteorologist Eric Tomlinson.
“This seems to be quite a similar event in terms of potential impacts,” said Tomlinson.
Other parts of the province will not be spared.
Environment Canada said much of southern Ontario could see between 20 and 40 millimetres of rain, and possibly more in some areas. Flood warnings have been issued by several conservation authorities as waterways already swollen by snow melt from recent balmy temperatures hit their limits.
Cambridge, Brantford, Six Nations and several other communities along the Grand River were under the flood warnings Tuesday.
“While the risk of ice jams is believed to be past, river flows remain extremely high,” the Grand River conservation authority said in a statement.
The municipalities of North Perth and Huron East were also under a flood warning. The Maitland Valley conservation authority says flows there are expected to stay elevated well into the week, “making this a potentially long-duration event.”
“Rural roads in the area may become flooded and hazardous,” the conservation authority said.
Into cottage country, rain is expected to mix with freezing rain for several hours.
Old man winter has not relented his grip either. Snow is added to the messy mix of precipitation around Sudbury. A winter storm warning is in place from around Sault Ste. Marie through to Timmins where Environment Canada is calling for between 10 and 20 centimetres of snowfall.
Colder temperatures were expected to move in behind the storm and potentially keep frozen surfaces slippery and hard to navigate for the coming days, said Tomlinson, the meteorologist
People ride a chair lift at Cypress Mountain in West Vancouver, B.C. on Feb. 6.Ethan Cairns/The Globe and Mail
Snow expected across southwestern B.C.
Environment Canada has expanded a special weather statement for low-elevation snowfall from Metro Vancouver into other parts of southwestern British Columbia, including Vancouver Island.
Snow was falling across parts of Metro Vancouver Tuesday morning, including the downtown core.
The weather office says up to four centimetres is possible for areas near sea level for the warning area covering the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound and the Fraser Valley, as well as Greater Vancouver.
It says inland areas of North Vancouver Island could also expect upwards of 10 centimetres.
More is expected in higher elevations, including on the Sea to Sky Highway from Squamish to Whistler, where as much as 15 centimetres could fall by the end of Tuesday.
The Coquihalla Highway, which has been backed up over the weekend due to a number of weather-related crashes, remains under a snowfall warning for up to 30 centimetres of snow.
Environment Canada says the winter blast is the result of a cold, unstable air mass and drivers should prepare for challenging driving conditions.
As of Tuesday morning, Vancouver has yet to record a measurable snowfall this winter involving at least one centimetre of accumulation at the city’s airport this winter.
Major ice storm in forecast for southern Quebec, heavy snow further north
A major ice storm is forecast to hit southern Quebec on Wednesday with between 20 and 30 millimetres of freezing rain over 24 hours in areas stretching from the Outaouais region through to Montreal and up to Quebec City.
Many school boards across the province cancelled classes on Wednesday and the City of Montreal said it was ready to activate emergency measures if necessary.
Simon Legault, meteorologist with Environment Canada, said the storm, which will begin in eastern Ontario, should cross into Quebec early Wednesday morning. Bouts of mild weather could turn the freezing rain to rain in certain areas by 4 p.m. However, he said, below-freezing temperatures in the following days will keep surfaces icy and could trigger prolonged power outages if frozen branches knock down electrical lines.
Quebeckers should stock up on food, batteries and water in anticipation of power failures, and avoid using heaters not suitable for indoors that could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, Legault said. “‘When there is a power outage lasting several days, you need to make sure you have a certain amount of supplies,” he told a technical briefing.
Environment Canada warned of possible delays and cancellations in transportation, adding that the weight of the ice “will likely cause significant damage to property, buildings and trees.”
Quebec’s Transportation Department said its crews will be deployed across the road network to spread de-icing agents and abrasives. The department asked drivers to exercise extreme caution and adapt their driving to road conditions.
Meanwhile, the City of Montreal says it is ready to implement emergency measures as needed. “As soon as the freezing rain starts, we will mobilize 1,000 employees to spread salt,” Alexandre Devaux-Guizani, deputy leader of the City of Montreal’s executive committee, told a news conference. He said crews will focus their attention on the sloped sections of the 10,000 kilometres of streets and pavement in Montreal.
If emergency measures are triggered, the Red Cross will be mobilized and shelters will open if necessary. The city is also preparing teams to remove branches and secure roads.
Employers are advised to encourage remote work on Wednesday to allow for better traffic flow to help city employees clean up storm damage.
Many school boards in southern Quebec said they would cancel classes on Wednesday, with others advising parents to monitor the boards’ social media pages for updates.
Meanwhile, areas of Quebec where freezing rain is not in the forecast can expect heavy snow. Regions north of Montreal are under snowfall alerts, with between 20 and 30 centimetres in the forecast for areas including La Tuque, Charlevoix, Saguenay and Rimouski. Farther north, the Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles areas could see between 30 and 40 centimetres of snow.