GTA Digs Out From First Big Winter Storm
Posted February 14, 2007 12:00 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
For most in Southern Ontario , it could have been worse.
That is if you weren’t in Oakville , Hamilton or Burlington .
Then, it couldn’t have been much worse.
The biggest storm of the season hit the province with a vengeance overnight, leaving piles of snow and major messes on driveways and roads everywhere.
This one had just about everything you’d expect in a real winter wallop – tons of snow, cold temperatures and bitter wind chills, even whiteouts.
Toronto residents woke up to a blanket of white measuring about 10 centimetres.
But the folks just to the west of us didn’t escape quite so easily.
Hamilton received up to 60-70 cm of the packed powder, aggravated by endless snow squalls off the lake.
Oakville wasn’t far behind, getting hit with 30 cm or more during their white night.
So much fell so quickly that the Hamilton, Halton and Peel school boards cancelled all classes, giving kids in their areas an unexpected snow day.
But for those who had to venture into work, it was anything but a relaxing vacation. The OPP had so many accident reports, it simply stopped counting them.
Most were fender benders or cars sliding into guardrails. Some weren’t content to endure the estimated two hour wait for a snow plow and simply abandoned their vehicles where they crashed.
The worst mishap took place late Tuesday night on Highway 403 in Ancaster.
A 40-car pile-up involving three tractor-trailers had some motorists sitting on the highway for more than two hours as the storm’s fury continued to lash them.
“In total there’s just over 600 accidents since 6pm last night,” confirms OPP Cst. Linda Dean. “With disabled vehicles and everything, we’re just over a little over 775 issues that have caused more traffic hazards than the weather itself.”
The storm also played havoc with those who chose public transit.
With the exception of the subway, TTC buses and streetcars, GO vehicles and all the surface transit services in the GTA experienced slow progress during the morning rush.
The CAA reported 500 phone calls an hour, and waits of up to 120 minutes for service.
Most GTA roads remain snow covered and slippery, although crews did a remarkable job of keeping up with the non-stop fall.
After such a long layoff waiting for any action at all, Toronto’s not-so-merry plowmen and women were willing, able – and most certainly ready.
“We don’t get a lot of storms like this,” agrees the city’s Peter Noehammer. “We were prepared for the snow. We should be able to get to sidewalks and finish up this evening.”
But don’t be fooled by the odd clear patch of pavement.
“Be mindful of the fact that, even though the roads might look clear in some areas, they may be covered in ice, and with blowing winds … [It] can easily turn into a treacherous situation when you hit the ice,” Dean reminds. “The biggest thing is just to slow down.”
It stopped by the afternoon, but our weather woes didn’t. High winds are expected to blow a lot of what fell around, creating the potential for more hazardous driving and even whiteout conditions in some areas.
Oakville resident Chris Ball wasn‘t looking forward to the delays this storm brought.
“I’m gonna have to work at home,” he admits. “Daycares are closed and schools are closed.”
As for those looking to leave on a jet plane? There were hundreds of delays or cancellations at Pearson International Airport, caused by our storm and the same event hitting other cities in the U.S. To check on whether your flight was one of them, click here.
Ottawa and points east are bracing for the worst next as the snow moves off in their direction, with up to 30 cm possible.
Perhaps the biggest irony in all this isn’t who got hit but who didn’t.
After weeks of enduring so much snow they had to start shovelling it off their roofs, folks in cottage country got a big break on this one. They barely got touched by the big storm.
So how much actually fell where you were? Here are CityNews meteorologist Michael Kuss’ snow total estimates:
Toronto Downtown: 15-20 cm
Toronto Pearson: 10 cm
Brampton: 17 cm
Grimsby: 30 cm
Hamilton Airport: 46 cm, Local amounts up to 60 cm
Innisfil: 10-15 cm
Kingston: 10 cm (as of 2pm)
London: 5-10 cm
Markham: 10 cm
Mississauga: 23 cm
Newmarket: 10 cm
Norfolk: 15 cm
Ottawa: 10 cm (as of 2 pm)
St. Catharines 20 cm
Windsor: 10-12 cm
While the snow made all the news, it’s impossible to forget about the cold. The City of Toronto has extended its Extreme Cold Weather Alert for another day.
The move keeps 80 additional shelter beds open and allows the city to mobilize forces to get the homeless off the streets. If you see someone in distress due to the cold, call the Street Helpline at 1-866-392-3777.
The move comes just as Environment Canada issues a wind chill warning for Toronto. The agency notes dangerously cold temperatures nearing -30C could afflict anyone whose skin is exposed to the elements for just a few minutes.
Check http://www.schoolbusmonitor.com/toronto/ for school bus information.
Snow Causes Several Delays & Cancellations At Pearson Int’l
Hard hit Oakville & Hamilton residents dig out
Storm leads to hundreds of accidents
Snow shovelling hard on the heart
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