Toronto has been hit with its first snowfall of the season, which means that drivers and transit users were in for a slippery and wet commute.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement on Thursday saying that residents should expect a “wintry mix” in the morning.
“A low pressure system is expected to bring a messy mix of precipitation this morning,” the weather agency’s statement said.
“Any lingering rain near Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence river early this morning will quickly change over to snow. This snow will then impact the morning commute before exiting the area by mid to late morning.”
Environment Canada warned that the fresh snow, combined with falling temperatures, may cause roads to become icy or slippery.
Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said that there were dozens of crashes across the GTA Thursday morning and “vehicles all over the ditches.”
“That’s not where they belong,” he said on social media. “Unfortunately drivers are going too fast for these conditions.”
“I look at the roads right now, they are slick and this is our first little wakeup call that winter has arrived.
The flurries are expected to continue in the afternoon, ending late in the evening. The temperature is forecast to be about 2 C on Thursday, with a low of -4 C, feeling like -8C with the wind chill.
The new wintery weather is not expected to dissipate. There is a 40 per cent chance of flurries on Friday afternoon.
