Massive winter storm cripples southern Canada
A massive winter storm swept across southern Canada causing widespread disruptions to transportation, school closures, and daily life. The system brought heavy snowfall ranging from 15 to 40 centimeters across regions stretching from Windsor, Ontario to Gaspé, Quebec.
Major cities including Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal experienced significant impacts. Toronto's Pearson International Airport recorded 26 centimeters of snow in 24 hours – more than the entire month of January – with 135 flight cancellations. Ottawa received about 20 centimeters by early morning, with an additional 10-20 centimeters expected. Montreal anticipated up to 40 centimeters by evening, with over 100 flights cancelled.
Canada Post suspended all delivery services in Ontario due to the conditions. Schools across southern Ontario, Quebec, and parts of the Maritimes were closed. The storm system moved eastward, affecting New Brunswick with up to 25 centimeters of snow mixed with ice pellets. Nova Scotia faced freezing rain warnings, while Prince Edward Island expected 15-25 centimeters of snow with blowing conditions.
Meanwhile, western provinces faced extreme cold conditions, with parts of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, and northern Ontario experiencing wind chill values of -40 or lower.
Highway safety officials urged people to stay home if possible and exercise extreme caution if travel was necessary. Despite the challenging conditions, some residents embraced the weather, with reports of people cross-country skiing on city sidewalks in Ottawa.
The storm showcased typical Canadian winter resilience, with emergency services and municipal authorities working to manage the impact while residents adapted to the severe weather conditions.
