Toronto is under a snowfall warning. This is what you need to know for your commute

CP24's Courtney Heels speaks with OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt on preparing for a messy morning on the roads with snowfall warnings in place for much of the GTA.

Toronto is under a snowfall warning as it gits hit with an Alberta clipper system that could dump up to 10 centimetres of snow on the city by the end of the day.

The snowfall is expected to transition to rain in many areas by this afternoon, however it could still be a messy commute home with the potential for freezing conditions starting at around 5 p.m.

Here is what you need to know about navigating Toronto amid the storm.

Traffic

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says that there have been approximately 80 collisions across the GTA as of 10 a.m., with many of those believed to be weather-related.

He said that there were at least two jackknifed tractor trailers reported along Highway 401 during the morning commute as well as multiple rollovers.

Schmidt says that while the conditions overall are not too bad, the ramps from 400-series highways are a “mess” with “snow, slush and slippery conditions.”

He is warning drivers to use caution during the evening commute due to the potential for freezing temperatures that could result in worsening road conditions, even after the snow stops.

“It will be a challenging day as we go to the evening and hopefully the system is passed but then the roads are going to be wet, there is still going to be ice and snow on the shoulders and as much as the salters and plows are out there clearing the highways once we get to the freezing temperatures there is always that possibility for the icy conditions to remain,” he said.

“When the snow is gone and the speeds increase that is when we start seeing problems with people going way too fast and thinking they can go back to their regular speed because they are not stuck in congestion.”

CP24 Traffic Specialist Lisa Morales adds that drivers should be aware of the potential for fast-changing conditions and poor visibility.

She said that the shoulder on some 400-series highways still had not been fully treated as of 11 a.m. and there is a need to reduce speed as a result.

Morales also said that the intersection of Bay Street and Davenport roads remains fully closed due to a collision involving a police cruiser.

Public transit

TTC spokesperson Stuart Green says that buses and streetcars re operating to the conditions, which he said could result in some delays.

He said that a handful of buses did get stuck amid challenging conditions during the morning commute but have since been put back into service.

“We are operating to conditions which are not ideal. In the grand scheme of storms, it is sort of a typical Toronto winter storm so we are managing OK,” he said.

Green said that the TTC has also brought in additional staff to help supplement service and maintain typical service frequency as much as possible.

“Generally on the surface we are operating to the condi

tions which is a bit slower than usual,” he said.

Flights

Pearson airport has 878 scheduled flights today and it says that there have been no major impacts on its operation from the weather so far.

It says that a traffic management initiative is in place to help regulate the flow of departing aircrafts, which could affect some flight schedules.

“With the snowfall, visibility and with de-icing operations in play it has slowed down,” Airport Duty Manager Wayne Finkle told CP24 Breakfast on Wednesday morning.

“And just a reminder with five million square metres of pavement surface it takes us a bit of time to clear it off. We have extra crews on the air side and ground side but for those coming in today check your flight schedules…”