Toronto under first blizzard warning since 1978, Canada
A low-pressure system tracking south of the Great Lakes brought significant snowfall and blizzard conditions to parts of Ontario and Quebeck, Canada on Monday, January 17, 2022, forcing authorities to issue the first blizzard warning for the City of Toronto since 1978. This system is a part of a large storm affecting the U.S. East Coast and central and eastern Canada.
Environment Canada issued the blizzard warning forecasting up to 60 cm (23 inches) of fresh snow in some parts of the region and snowfall rates of 6 to 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) per hour.1
Toronto saw 37 cm (14.6 inches) by 09:00 LT on January 17 and strong northwesterly winds gusting up to 50 km/h (31 mph), resulting in areas of poor visibility.
Across the region, the storm dumped from 30 to more than 50 cm (12 – 20 inches) of snow, leading to dangerous roadways, delays, collisions, and widespread road closures.2
Most major routes are at a stand still in many areas. We have people out of their cars shoveling the 401. pic.twitter.com/teJrZsup5R
— CityNews Toronto Traffic (@citynews680) January 17, 2022
Too many issues to keep track of this morning. Stay home if you can. If you need to be on the roads then you're in for a bad time. We are seeing some helpful hands out there, though! pic.twitter.com/qcOmYoQpYY
— CityNews Toronto Traffic (@citynews680) January 17, 2022
streetcar driver having to get out to shovel snow off the tracks #snowTO #onstorm pic.twitter.com/0CDlN1OAXf
— yikes (@jaundce) January 17, 2022
My driveway and neighbour’s driveway#ONStorm #ONsnow #snowday https://t.co/o0JOYlZV3x pic.twitter.com/dKoRRvCQR0
— Brian (Stuttering Loudly) (@StutterLoudly) January 17, 2022
Low pressure over the Northern Plains will move eastward across the Great Lakes overnight Tuesday and into Ontario, Canada, by Wednesday morning, January 19 then into the Canadian Maritimes by Thursday, January 20, NWS forecaster Ziegenfelder noted.3
By Thursday, January 20, the associated front will move eastward to just off the Northeast Coast and across the Mid-Atlantic to the Central Gulf Coast.
The system will produce heavy snow across parts of Upper Mississippi Valley, near Lake Superior and Michigan s Upper Peninsula, on Tuesday into Wednesday morning.
Light snow will move into the Lower Great Lakes overnight Tuesday and into Northern New England on Wednesday into Thursday morning. In the wake of the system, lake effect snow will develop downwind from the Great Lakes.
References:
1 Up to 60 cm of snow possible as historic winter storm hits Toronto, GTA – City News
2 Winter storm brings traffic to a standstill in Ontario, Quebec (PHOTOS) – TWN
3 Short Range Forecast Discussion NWS Weather Prediction Center College Park MD 259 AM EST Tue Jan 18 2022
Featured image credit: City News Toronto Traffic
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