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Pack your patience and bundle up because Thursday is going to be a snowy and cold day in Waterloo region, Guelph and Wellington County.
Schools are closed in Waterloo region, Guelph and Wellington County after heavy snow overnight.
A orange warning for snowfall has been issued for Waterloo region and Guelph areas. Cambridge has declared a snow event is set to begin at 7 a.m.
An orange warning is the second level of the new colour-coded weather alerts from Environment and Climate Change Canada. Orange warnings are issued for winter storms when it’s expected it will take a few days to clear snow.
Snowfall amounts of up to 30 cm are expected with snow lasting through to Thursday afternoon before tapering off Thursday evening.
“A low pressure system will continue to bring significant snowfall to much of southern Ontario. Very cold wind chills by this morning will add to the adverse weather conditions,” the warning said.
“There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic. Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Allow extra time for travel. Non-essential travel should be avoided. ”
A person stands on a snow-covered Watson Parkway in Guelph on Thursday morning just before 6 a.m. after a heavy snowfall overnight. (Kate Bueckert/CBC)
Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said on X, formerly Twitter, that motorists should consider holding off on driving anywhere until the weather improves and snow can be cleared.
“The snow is here, the wind is here, the roads are slick,” he said in the video Thursday morning. “If you’re going to be heading out this morning, make sure you’re giving yourself all the time in the world, brush your vehicle off of snow and ice and get ready for a slow, slippery drive.”
Delays and cancellations
The weather forecast has led to school closures, bus cancellations and commuter delays.
All schools in Waterloo region, Guelph and Wellington County are closed Thursday.
“This includes all St. Louis online, daytime, and evening classes at all locations. All community use programs will not operate. All evening rental permits are cancelled. All extended day childcare programs are closed,” said a post on the Student Transportation Services of Waterloo Region website.
In Brant County, schools under the Grand Erie District School Board and the Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic School Board are closed.
The closures also extend to schools in the Avon Maitland and Huron-Perth Catholic district school boards.
Grand River Transit has declared a severe weather event and has closed or detoured a number of stops.
“Buses continue to run, but there are delays on a number of routes due to weather and road conditions. Please give yourself extra time,” Grand River Transit says on its website.
Guelph Transit and Kitchener GO commuters are asked to check the respective websites for any delays before travelling.
Other closures:
Conestoga College has closed all campuses on Thursday “with the possibility of reopening this evening.”University of Waterloo is closed and is expected to reopen at 6 a.m. on Friday. Wilfrid Laurier University has closed all campuses Thursday and they are expected to reopen Friday.YMCA of Three Rivers has closed all of its child-care sites in Waterloo region, Guelph-Wellington and Stratford. YMCA employment and immigrant services in Kitchener, Cambridge and Stratford are also closed. Oh yeah, it’s also going to be cold
On top of the snow, temperatures are not expected to go above –11 C on Thursday.
Geoff Coulson, a weather preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, told CBC News it will “feel more like a –25 C at times” thanks to wind chill, making it one of the coldest days in Waterloo region so far this year.
Friday and the weekend will see more seasonal temperatures but then Coulson says people should be prepared for a prolonged return to colder-than-usual temperatures starting on Monday.
“January is traditionally the coldest month and certainly the weather up until this point, aside from some chilly weather to start off, January has been on the mild side. But that trend definitely looks like it’s changing,” he said.
Snow event in Cambridge
Cambridge has already declared a snow event will begin at 7 a.m. on Thursday, meaning there’s a ban on any on-street parking. Vehicles left on the street could be ticketed or towed.
“City snowplows clear roads based on provincial guidelines and a priority schedule with priority roads cleared first and residential roads cleared last. Residential roads are typically not salted, so snowpack will remain on the surface,” the city said in a news release.
People are reminded sidewalks should be cleared 36 hours after snowfall has ended and snow shouldn’t be shoveled onto the road.
Listen to CBC K-W’s The Morning Edition on your smart speaker, the CBC Listen page, or using the CBC Listen app for the latest updates on weather and traffic Thursday morning from 5:57 a.m. to 8:37 a.m.