Severe Lake-Effect Snow on the Horizon: Travel Alerts in Effect

Post by : Mina Rahman

A significant wave of lake-effect snow is anticipated to strike the area, with officials alerting residents that conditions may worsen swiftly starting Wednesday night.

A yellow weather advisory has been activated as snow squalls originating from Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are predicted to commence on Wednesday night and last into Thursday afternoon. Expected local snowfall may reach between 15 and 30 cm, with severe reductions in visibility during heavy and blowing snow.

Northwesterly winds are projected to gust between 50 and 60 km/h, exacerbating blowing snow and contributing to perilous travel situations. Although improvements in weather conditions are anticipated by Thursday evening, uncertainties regarding the locations of the heaviest snow bands remain.

Motorists are urged to stay prepared for abrupt weather changes, with visibility potentially dropping to zero and road closures being a possibility.

This warning comes shortly after a significant early-season storm over the previous weekend that left Barrie with 43 cm of snow.

Additionally, a new colour-coded alert system has been launched: yellow signifies hazardous weather to monitor, orange indicates probable severe conditions, and red warns of serious weather that may endanger safety, property, and health.