Environment Canada
5:51 PM EST Wednesday 22 February 2023
Freezing rain warning in effect for:
- Guelph – Erin – Southern Wellington County
- Kitchener – Cambridge – Region of Waterloo
Heavy snow for the evening commute, then significant freezing rain tonight.
Hazards:
A prolonged period of freezing rain leading to significant ice build up in some areas. Ice accretion of 5 to 10 millimetres is possible.
Snow, heavy at times, and ice pellets. Total amounts of 5 to 15 cm.
Northeasterly winds gusting 50 to 60 km/h.
Timing:
Continuing to early Thursday morning.
Discussion:
Light snow will become heavy at times before mixing with ice pellets early this evening. Snow and ice pellets will mix with or change over to freezing rain later this evening. Ice pellets may remain the predominate precipitation type into the overnight for some areas. This scenario would reduce ice accretion to the lower end of the range and increase snowfall amounts to the higher end of the range. Freezing rain will taper off early Thursday morning to patchy freezing drizzle. Gusty northeasterly winds will diminish early Thursday morning.
Extensive utility outages are possible due to the combination of ice accretion and moderate winds.
Another light wintry mix of precipitation is possible Thursday afternoon into Thursday evening.
Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Slow down driving in slippery conditions. Watch for taillights ahead and maintain a safe following distance. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas. Beware of branches or electrical wires that could break under the weight of ice. Public Safety Canada encourages everyone to make an emergency plan and get an emergency kit with drinking water, food, medicine, a first-aid kit and a flashlight. For information on emergency plans and kits go to http://www.getprepared.gc.ca.
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ONstorm@ec.gc.ca or tweet reports using #ONStorm.
