Dear Ward 24 Residents,
I am providing the following update I have received from City of Toronto Transportation staff in advance of the expected snowfall we will be receiving tomorrow.
For the forecast snow event of December 1, here is an update on Transportation Services’ winter operations plans as of November 30 at 3pm.
***Note: These plans are estimates only and subject to changing conditions such as timing of the event and the amount of precipitation.***
Weather: Dry and chilly through Saturday night but a winter storm is going to bring a mixture of freezing rain, ice pellets and snow. The uncertainty is in how much of it will fall as sleet/ice pellets and snow in the morning. Generally speaking, the farther west of the GTA, the more mixing initially and could hinder the snowfall totals a bit. Areas to the east should be mostly snow and snow amounts should be higher. All models have the freezing rain/sleet line through Oakville, Milton or farther west in the morning so it’s quite unlikely Toronto will see freezing rain with this. Likely beginning around 7 or 8 am, high confidence that weather will be poor from 9 am through 4 pm with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 cm/hour ( If falling as Ice pellets would make that less than 0.5 cm per hour). The risk for ice pellets abates by 11:30 am and only snow is expected into the afternoon. Confidence in the forecast in the evening and early overnight is LOW. Models diverge and there is no consensus if drier air moves in or if lighter snow of 1 cm / 2 or 3 hours could persist. Snow amounts could be as low as 6 or 7 cm west of the GTA but up to 13 or 14 cm isn’t out of the question to the east.
Environment Canada has issued a Special Weather Statement https://weather.gc.ca/warnings/report_e.html?on61#2048073611717005266201911290503ws1171cwto
Given the forecast accumulation, it is likely that multiple rounds of salting and/or plowing will be required on expressways, arterial and collector roads. Local roads will also be plowed when snowfall has reached 8cm and has substantially stopped. High & low pedestrian volume sidewalks, as well as separated bike lanes, may also be cleared/salted multiple times. There is currently low confidence in the forecast as to the amount of freezing rain and/or snow that we may receive so our equipment activation times listed below may be revised.
Patrol:
– Transportation maintains a 24/7 patrol to constantly monitor road and sidewalk conditions.
Roadway Salting:
– Salt brine has been applied to bridges and steep hills on Friday evening
– Transportation has approximately 200 salt trucks on standby that can be on the road within one hour of notification.
– Salting operations will commence at approx. 6am – 7am Sunday
– Multiple rounds of salt will be required. Salting will continue through the morning/afternoon until plowing thresholds are met.
Roadway Plowing
– Plowing operations on expressways will commence at 2cm of accumulation
– Plowing operations on arterial and collector roads will commence at 5cm of accumulation – approximately 12pm Sunday
– Plowing operations on local roads will commence when accumulations have reached 8cm and are substantially complete – approximately 6pm Sunday.
Trails & Separated Bike Lanes
– Salting & plowing of the Martin Goodman Trail & Humber Bay Waterfront Trail will commence at approx. 6am – 7am Sunday
– Salting & plowing of the separated bike lanes will commence at approx. 6am – 7am Sunday
– Multiple rounds of plowing & salting on trails and bike lanes will be required
Sidewalks & Bus Stops
– Mechanical sidewalk clearing on high pedestrian volume sidewalks will commence approx midday Sunday
– Multiple rounds of sidewalk salting & plowing may be required.
Snow Event Update # 2 will be distributed at approximately 9am Sunday
For up to the minute updates please follow Transportation Services on Twitter at @TO_WinterOps and on our newly re-launched real-time public GPS site at www.toronto.ca/plowto
I will provide more updates as I receive them.
Please remember to check on any elderly or physically challenged neighbours.
All my Best,
Paul