Major winter storm dumps 60 cm of snow on parts of GTHA
Posted January 25, 2026 7:22 am.
Last Updated January 26, 2026 11:09 pm.
Environment Canada says Sunday’s winter storm dropped as much as 60 cm of snow in some parts of Toronto and areas west of the city.
The National Weather Service said the southern parts of Etobicoke and Mississauga recorded the elevated totals, due in large part to a band of lake-enhanced snow off Lake Ontario.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO LIVE WEATHER COVERAGE!Other regions saw amounts of 30 to 50 cm, with snowfall rates of 5 to 10 cm per hour at the storm’s peak.
Wind gusts of up to 50 km/h caused blowing snow, leading to hazardous driving conditions across Toronto and the GTHA and hundreds of cancelled flights on Sunday.
The snowfall peaked Sunday afternoon and evening, then tapered to periods of light snow or flurries overnight.
Similar orange warnings are in effect for Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Burlington, Oakville, Pickering, Oshawa, Hamilton and Niagara Falls.
Meanwhile, thousands of schools across Southern Ontario have suspended operations and will be closed on Monday.
City of Toronto activates second major snow event
Just before 5 p.m., the City of Toronto activated its second major snow event response plan of the year and declared a major snowstorm.
“Torontonians are encouraged to refrain from unnecessary travel and stay in place wherever possible,” a City spokesperson wrote in a press release. “Continuous plowing is happening around the clock across Toronto. Where possible, residents and visitors are asked to consider transit as road conditions may be diminished.”
Drivers are being reminded that parking on snow routes is prohibited while the major snowstorm declaration is in effect. Snow routes are posted with permanent “snow route” signage, including on all roads with streetcar tracks. Vehicles parked on these streets could be fined, towed and impounded.
“The significant increase in snow means it may take longer than usual to clear roads, sidewalks and bicycle lanes. Because of this, the City is declaring a Significant Weather Event,” the spokesperson added. “Under this, the City is exempt from Provincial service levels for winter maintenance, as per provincial regulations, and snow clearing focuses on prioritization for community safety.”
Meanwhile, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say they have responded to approximately 100 car crashes in the GTHA.
Multiple transit issues and closures
As of 3:29 p.m. on Sunday, there was no service on Line 6 Finch West LRT between Finch West and Humber College due to “switch issues,” the TTC says. Shuttle buses are running.
Line 1 Yonge-University is also being affected by weather conditions.
There is also no service on Line 2 Bloor-Danforth between Woodbine and Kennedy stations.
Hundreds of flight cancellations
Toronto Pearson International Airport says the storm is having an impact on its operations. As of 3 p.m. Sunday, more than 560 flights had been cancelled – 61 per cent of departing flights and 63 per cent of arrivals.
“Passengers are advised to check their flight status with their airline before coming to the airport, as the winter weather is impacting flight operations, and schedules may change throughout the day,” airport officials said on Sunday.
Toronto’s Billy Bishop Airport says 33 flights have been cancelled on Sunday.
More than 16,000 flights have been cancelled across the U.S. since Saturday, according to flight-tracking site FlightAware, with more than 11,500 of those scheduled for Sunday. Aviation analytics company Cirium says its data shows that Sunday will be the highest cancellation event since the pandemic.
The City of Toronto says all library branches and museums will be closed, and it has cancelled all recreational programs at school locations today due to the weather. Community rec centres remain open, but the city warns there may be localized closures due to the declining conditions.
The severe weather has also forced the Toronto Zoo to close its doors on Sunday for “safety and well-being of the animals, staff, volunteers and guests.” The Zoo will also be closed on Monday in order to allow for snow-clearing operations.
The City of Mississauga has declared a significant weather event due to the winter storm. City Hall, municipal office buildings and libraries will be closed on Sunday, while municipal services will be suspended. Community centres and arenas are closed as of noon, except for the Paramount Fine Foods Centre, which is hosting the Scottie Tournament of Hearts event. Outdoor skating rinks are also closed until weather conditions make them safe to reopen.
The City of Hamilton has declared a similar significant weather event, resulting in the closure of all municipal buildings, community centres, arenas, museums and Gage Park Greenhouse.
The City of Oshawa says all city facilities will be closed on Sunday after declaring a significant weather event. City facilities will re-open no earlier than 12 noon on Monday.
