GTA and much of southern Ontario see heavy rain, fog

It was a wet and foggy day across the Greater Toronto Area Sunday as heavy rains hit the region.

A rainfall warning issued on Saturday remained in effect as of Sunday evening. In its latest advisory, Environment Canada said the city could see additional rainfall amounts of 10 to 20 millimetres by overnight.

The federal agency said a low-pressure system moved through the region and brought rain. Environment Canada warned that because the ground is frozen, it has a reduced ability to absorb the rainfall. That, in turn, could lead to flooding.

“Rain is expected to taper to showers this evening. Light showers may linger into Monday,” Environment Canada said. “Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible. Heavy downpours can cause flash floods and water pooling on roads.”

Earlier in the day, Environment Canada also issued a fog advisory for Toronto, warning of “near-zero” visibility in some areas.

That advisory lifted for Toronto by around 11 a.m., but remains in place for a number of other areas in the GTA.  

Drivers are being urged to use extra caution on the roads and to be aware that visibility could quickly reduce to zero in some areas.

The full forecast and everything else you need to know about GTA weather

 

City crews standing by

In a statement, the City of Toronto said it has a storm readiness plan in place and that crews are on standby and available to respond.

“City staff are actively monitoring today’s weather and crews are proactively removing debris from roads and clearing catch basins, and monitoring low-lying areas for ponding and flooding,” the city told CP24 in a statement.

“The public should stay away from shorelines, rivers and streams, and use caution if travelling during flooding.”

The city also advised motorists to slow down, leave extra time and avoid driving through flooding or ponding, especially in underpasses.

They also advised homeowners to check their home’s downspouts and nearby catch basins are not blocked.

 

Warning in place for much of Ontario

The weather warnings extend from Windsor to Peterborough east-west, and as far north as the Sudbury area in Ontario. Another cluster of rainfall and freezing rain warnings are in effect for a large part of Quebec, as well as the Ottawa area.

The warnings come as the GTA sees some unseasonably warm temperatures. A high of 12 C is expected in Toronto Sunday.

The above-zero weather is expected to last for several days.

A high of 4 C is expected Monday and Tuesday, while a high of 2 C is expected on Wednesday, the first day of 2025. The warmer temperatures are expected to be accompanied by rain or light snow.