Toronto forecast calls for more snow after nearly 50 cm falls in 2 weeks

Toronto weather: Is more snow on the way? More snow may be on the way for Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, adding to the nearly 50 centimetres already fallen on the city.

More snow has been forecast for the Greater Toronto Area in the coming days, adding to the nearly 50 cm that has already fallen in the city over the last two weeks.

Both Environment Canada and The Weather Network are calling for snow in the city over the weekend and into the week, with a maximum estimate of about eight centimetres of accumulation over the span of four days.

As of Tuesday, the city is still cleaning up after regions of the GTA saw 20 to 30 cm of snow and thunderstorms overnight Friday. City hall declared a major snowstorm condition on Saturday as crews worked to clear roads and sidewalks.

TORONTO WEATHER FORECAST

Toronto isn't quite done with winter weather yet. During the week, temperatures are expected to stay mild and skies overcast. Then, on Friday, snow makes its way into Toronto’s forecast again.

The Weather Network says the city could see one to four centimetres of snow between Friday and Saturday, then an additional three to seven centimetres from Sunday to Monday.

Environment Canada has Friday and Saturday forecasted to be cloudy but is also predicting flurries in Toronto on Sunday and Monday.

Overall, up to six to eight centimetres of snow is possible for Toronto over the weekend.

Mid-next week, temperatures are set to rise above zero, with a mix of light snow, sun, and clouds predicted.

‘HALF A WINTER’S WORTH OF SNOW’

On Friday, senior climatologist for Environment Canada, Dave Phillips, told CP24 that Toronto has seen half a winter’s worth of snow in the last 10 days.

“If you take this snow we [got Friday] and add it to what we've had the last 10 days, that's half a winter's worth of snow,” Phillips said.

The city saw a snowfall of just about 19 cm on Feb, 17, about six more centimetres on Feb. 27, and at least another 17 cm on Friday, meaning, in the last two weeks, nearly 45 cm of snow has fallen on Toronto.

“We've just been pummeled by the snow," Phillips said.

TORONTO SNOW REMOVAL

In the wake of the most recent storm, some residents have found the city’s clearing and snow removal operations to be lacking.

On Sunday – nearly 24 hours after the storm – a group of residents raised the issue that many access points to some Toronto streetcar stops were blocked by piles of snow, presumably made by snow plows, noting the piles may be impossible for people with mobility challenges to pass.

So, the group decided to take matters into their own hands, literally, and shovelled the mountains of snow from 30 stops on the 505 route on Dundas Street/

One of the volunteers, Gru, said the group received virtually unanimous gratitude in response and asked, “Why isn’t the city doing this?”

He pointed to the pain manifesting in his body after hours of digging through the heavy, dense snow as a sign of the limitations of a volunteer group like this one.

“If the city had cleared streetcar stops, cleared sidewalks, or cleared bus stops across the city on Saturday evening or any time on Saturday, we would have been more than happy with that,” he said.

Another resident reported falling and slipping after attempting to cross over an uncleared snow mound, resulting in a broken ankle.

The City of Toronto began salting as the snow started to accumulate Friday, and plowing began when the snow reached 2.5 cm. At the time, it warned clearing and removal efforts could take “into next week” and that it would take several passes for sidewalks to be fully cleared.

On Sunday, the city began accepting applications for snow removal.