Commuters faced a slippery drive Wednesday evening after Environment Canada called for freezing rain across much of the lower regions of the province.

The weather watch across the GTA continued late Wednesday as temperatures rose.

As the air warmed up, falling snow changed to rain, while still-frozen conditions on the ground caused slippery conditions. Temperatures were 2 degrees Celsius at 9 p.m. and expected to rise slightly to 3 C by morning.

Driving conditions were the worst in areas north and west of Toronto, particularly around Highways 88 and 89 and in the Waterloo-Wellington region, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson.

Ontario Provincial Police closed Highway 400 northbound between Highway 89 and Innisfil Beach Road for a brief period due to severe icy road conditions at around 8:30 p.m. and said it was dealing with numerous motor vehicle collisions.

Meanwhile, it appears icy conditions may contributed to a deadly crash northeast of Toronto.

Coulson cautioned that even a fraction of a degree can drastically change conditions, and said commuters should expect a "stark difference" as they leave the city and temperatures drop.

The Toronto Transit Commission warned commuters to be careful of ice when stepping off streetcars and buses. The TTC and GO Transit were not expecting any major transit delays.

Air Canada, WestJet and Porter airlines issued weather advisories on their websites. Twenty-eight arrivals and 33 departures were cancelled at Toronto's Pearson International Airport.