Environment Canada is warning Torontonians to take heed of a winter wallop heading for the city Saturday afternoon.
The government agency upgraded the status of the storm to a warning from a winter storm watch.
"This is a warning that dangerous winter weather conditions are imminent or occurring in these regions," said a statement posted late Saturday morning on the Environment Canada website.
"A near-crippling snow storm with very heavy snow and blowing snow as well as some ice pellets tonight and Sunday," it said.
All of southern Ontario is expected to be heavily hit by the storm with forecasters predicting as much as 30 centimetres of snow in some areas.
The watch stretches from Windsor in the west to Kingston in the east.
The highest snowfall amounts are likely to occur in the Hamilton area, Environment Canada said.
Toronto is gearing up for the storm with 600 road plows, 200 salt trucks, 300 sidewalk plows and 1700 staff members on standby.
Down by the lakefront, strong winds and blowing snow created near white-out conditions. Customers flocked to stores to buy salt, shovels and other supplies to help them get through the storm.
"We have a very long driveway so we have to plan ahead," a shopper told CTV Toronto Saturday afternoon.
Miles Currie, a spokesperson for the city's works department, told CTV clearing expressways and major arterial roads will be the priority over the next couple of days.
"We will move into the local roadways for the sidewalks and the roads but given the size of the storm and the length of it, it will be a challenge," he said.
Laura Cooke, a spokesperson from Ontario's Hydro One, told CTV.ca Saturday that emergency preparations are in place with crews on standby to repair any power outages that may occur because of the storm.
"We've got crews at the ready, helicopters ready, we've not had to press them into service yet because we're only seeing the beginnings of the weather system," she said.
"Every good Canadian knows to be prepared in the Canadian winter, so it's a wise idea to have food, water, candles and to be prepared for any eventuality," she said.
"The highest impact will be in heavily treed areas with overhead power lines," added Thelma Hatzis, spokesperson for Toronto Hydro. "Customers can and should make sure they're prepared by having flashlights with fresh batteries ready. They should also be keeping in mind their cordless phones won't work."
Hatzis also said the elderly should be checked on regularly during the storm.
Police said motorists should keep the road conditions in mind when making their way home and reduce their speed accordingly. The Ontario Provincial Police said they will have extra officers on duty to patrol the roads.
Environment Canada warned Ontarians to stay home and avoid the storm altogether.
"The public should be prepared to change plans accordingly to avoid unnecessary travel during this storm," the posted statement said. "This massive snow storm has the potential to cause near-paralyzing conditions as any road travel on any unplowed streets may become next to impossible on Sunday.
"All motorists who must travel are urgently advised to use extreme caution and plan for much extra time to reach their destination."
Residents who experience power outages should call the local "Lights Out" hotline at 416-542-8000.
With a report from CTV's John Musselman
