Ontario might have looked like a winter wonderland but for drivers, there was nothing wonderful about the season's first major storm.
Environment Canada announced the conditions were likely to get worse as forecasters predicted heavy snow with freezing rain for the afternoon.
"Dangerous winter travelling conditions are expected across Ontario as the snow may possibly be heavy at times which can cause brief whiteout conditions," read the warning, posted on the government agency's website.
"Furthermore roads will be snow covered and slippery due to freezing rain and ice pellets. Travel plans should be altered accordingly."
Ontario Provincial Police received hundreds of calls since the storm began around midnight.
OPP Sgt. Cam Woolley told The Canadian Press that drivers need to be prepared for changing weather conditions throughout the day.
With snow turning to rain, drainage systems could get clogged, something that could lead to flooding in some of the lower parts of the province.
"If they get plugged, then we're not going to get drainage and then we could see ponding on the road which could freeze as the temperatures drop," said Miles Currie, with the City of Toronto.
Toronto and the surrounding area was hit by 10 centimetres of snow but forecasters predict more snow will fall overnight, making the Monday morning commute a treacherous drive.
The city's entire fleet of snow plows -- 600 in total -- took to the roads to clean up the snow.
On Sunday, emergency crews in Toronto responded to several collisions, including six car accidents on the Don Valley Parkway.
"We've had two separate collisions this morning where vehicles have actually hit snow plows that are out there," OPP Cst. Dave Woodford told CTV Newsnet. "There have also been a lot of single vehicle collisions throughout the area.
"Mainly (people are) driving too fast for the conditions," he said. "They see wet roads and think it's almost like rain and they could keep a speed that's almost like a normal speed. Conditions could change and you have to change your driving habits. You gotta slow down -- that's the big thing."
In Hamilton, an ambulance driver got stuck trying to rush to a woman who had a heart attack while shovelling her driveway. Firefighters and a second ambulance managed to get to her on time.
Though Go Transit reported delays early Sunday morning, trains and buses were running on time by the afternoon.
However, dozens of flights were delayed for about six hours at Pearson International Airport. Several flights from the U.S. were cancelled.
David Philips from Environment Canada said the storm had hit most of the province.
"It's spreading misery from Windsor to Ottawa and places east,'' he told CP. "It's a massive storm.''
With files from The Canadian Press
