An ice storm is heading toward the GTA. Here's what to expect hour-by-hour

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 28, 2025 10:42 AM EDT | Last Updated: 9 minutes ago

There's a perchance unsafe crystal tempest heading toward the Greater Toronto Area that's acceptable to make atrocious conditions passim the weekend.

Here's what you tin expect, hr by hour. CBC Toronto volition beryllium updating this communicative arsenic we get much accusation astir the upwind event, truthful cheque backmost arsenic you're readying your weekend. 

Friday daytime

If you can, get stocked up for the play during the daytime.

Toronto volition spot upwind gusts of 20 km/h starting astatine astir 11 a.m. ET, with upwind chill making it consciousness similar - 3 C. Friday's existent precocious is expected to beryllium 3 C.

Periods of rainfall volition statesman astir 4 p.m. successful parts of the GTA, arsenic temperatures statesman to drop. 

At 5 p.m., the City of Toronto is opening 5 exigency warming centres. 

Friday evening

Here's wherever conditions are expected to deteriorate.

The rainfall is expected to modulation into freezing rainfall astir 8 p.m. arsenic the temperature nears the freezing mark. 

Environment Canada says crystal buildup of 3 to 5 millimetres is possible, expanding the hazard of powerfulness outages, slippery surfaces and breached histrion branches.

WATCH: CBC meteorologist breaks down what we cognize astir the storm's path: 

Disclaimer: Freezing rainfall tin beryllium hard to predict

There's a accidental this tempest mightiness beryllium worse successful immoderate regions than others. 

Storm chaser and meteorologist Mark Robinson said the astir important magnitude of freezing rainfall whitethorn hap from Huntsville done Peterborough and down toward Kingston. 

But helium said freezing rainfall tin beryllium hard to predict. 

"You request specified nonstop meteorological conditions for that freezing rainfall to happen," helium said successful an interrogation with CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Friday. "If it's not perfect, you'll get a switchover to snowfall oregon axenic rain." 

"That's the large question close now: how overmuch are we going to see?" 

Robinson said radical tin hole for imaginable powerfulness outages by stocking up connected non-perishable foods and water. 

Saturday morning

The crystal tempest is expected to transition into periods of rainfall showers arsenic temperatures statesman to emergence astir the GTA.

Saturday night

A 2nd circular of freezing rainfall is expected Saturday nighttime into Sunday greeting arsenic temperatures chill beneath the freezing mark.

Mississauga has been preparing 'all week' for storm, metropolis authoritative says

Mississauga has been preparing each week for imaginable freezing rain, said Helen Noehammer, the city's manager of works operations and maintenance. 

The metropolis has topped up its brackish supplies and made crews disposable to respond connected the play if necessary, she said successful an interrogation with Metro Morning on Friday. 

She said they person besides ensured the city's touchbasins are wide of debris to forestall flooding connected roads and that the tempest h2o strategy is operating astatine capacity. 

"We're acceptable to respond to immoderate Mother Nature whitethorn propulsion astatine america this weekend," she said. 

For much connected the storm, caput to the nexus below: