Environment Canada issues winter weather travel advisory for GTA

Environment Canada has issued a winter weather travel advisory for the Greater Toronto Area ahead of what could be the first snowfall of the year.

The weather agency says that a cold front expected to arrive in Southern Ontario on Thursday afternoon will cause temperatures to plummet, resulting in some scattered rain showers changing over to flurries.

As a result, the weather agency says that “untreated surfaces could become icy and slippery” and affect the evening commute.

“It is early in the season to get into this kind of cold and to get into this kind of potential for lake-effect snow,” CP24 Meteorologist Chris Potter said on Wednesday. “Though our accumulations will be fairly low in the city, the further north you go the greater potential there will be for not only snow but reduced visibilities.”

In addition to the winter travel advisory, Environment Canada has also issued a snow squall watch for a number of communities north of the GTA, including Barrie, Collingwood and Innisfil.

The weather agency says that total snowfall accumulation could exceed 15 centimetres in areas that receive multiple snow squalls.

“Under the snow squall bands, visibilities will be significantly reduced to heavy snow combined with blowing snow,” the watch states.

Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 9 C for Toronto on Thursday but the temperature is expected to fall to 2 C by later in the afternoon. The temperature will then drop down to -9 C overnight, according to Environment Canada.

The winter weather travel advisory covers a swath of Southern Ontario, including the entire GTA.