Winter blast impacts London, Ont. region

Winter storm pummels London Julie Atchison breaks down a winter storm warning and the effect it will have on London on Friday.

A winter storm warning covers London-Middlesex, Huron-Perth, Sarnia-Lambton and Oxford.

Elgin, Simcoe, and Norfolk County meanwhile are under a winter weather travel advisory.

A Texas low is headed toward southern Ontario with a swath of heavy moisture laden snow.

Winter storm warnings stretch east into Toronto and snowfall warnings are in place northeast toward Ottawa.

The storm will start with snowfall Friday afternoon and there is the potential for rain mixed with snow close to Lake Erie.

The areas that are under the travel advisory will see less accumulation, as rain is expected to mix with snow as the system arrives.

The latest forecast model is showing close to 20 cm of heavy wet snow in London and surrounding areas through Friday night and into early Saturday, with the heaviest snow expected to fall Friday night.

There is the potential for snowfall rates of 4 cm per hour between 6 p.m. and midnight, and travel is not recommended as high snowfall rates will lead to hazardous travel and strong winds with reduced visibility on area roads.

The low-pressure system will exit overnight and take the heavy snow with it, and you can expect the bulk of the snow to wind down by sunrise Saturday.

The City of London’s response to the winter storm

As the storm approaches the region, the City of London is letting the public know how to prepare in advance.

Londoners are asked to avoid unnecessary travel and to drive safely on roads and highways if they must commute during the snowstorm. In addition, pedestrians are advised to be cautious as parking lots, walkways and sidewalks may become slippery.

City crews are out applying sand and salt to roads and sidewalks and “will continue to do so throughout the snowfall.” As part, on overnight street parking is banned for this evening to give snow plows room to clear streets.

Snowfall may also cause power outages to occur. The city advises residents to treat intersections as a four-way stop in the event of a power outage, and to refer to London Hydro for information on outages. In addition, hazards such as downed tree branches on power lines or downed power lines can be reported to London Hydro’s emergency line at 519-661-5555.

City of London community centers remain open at this time, as are all London Public Library branches.

For transit riders, the city cautions that delays may occur during the storm, and if people must travel, to dress warmly and give themselves plenty of time to get to their destination.

Finally, a full list of closures and cancellations in regard to recreational facility closures and program cancellations can be found on the City of London website.

London police are also reminding the public to be prepared, posting to social media a list of things that people should keep in their vehicles in case of emergency.

Here’s a look at the latest forecast

Friday night: Snow at times heavy and blowing snow. Risk of a thunderstorm. Snowfall amount of between 10 to 20 cm. Wind northeast 30 km/h gusting to 50. Low minus 1.

Saturday: Snow ending in the morning then clearing. Wind north 30 km/h becoming light early in the afternoon. High plus 4. Wind chill minus 8 in the morning.

Sunday: Cloudy. High plus 5.

Monday: Cloudy with 60 per cent chance of flurries or rain showers. High plus 4.

Tuesday: A mix of sun and cloud with 60 per cent chance of flurries. High plus 1.

Wednesday: Sunny. High minus 2.

Thursday: A mix of sun and cloud. High minus 3.