Snow events and parking bans in effect as winter storm hits Waterloo region
Universities to close all campuses at 4:30 p.m. ahead of winter storm
A winter storm hit Waterloo region, Guelph and surrounding areas Wednesday afternoon, creating slippery roads and a messy commute.
Environment Canada's forecast said people should expect heavy snow with a mix of ice pellets and wind gusts that will turn into freezing rain in the evening and stretch into Thursday.
"Freezing rain will continue into the overnight before tapering off early Thursday morning to patchy freezing drizzle. Gusty northeasterly winds will diminish early Thursday morning," the freezing rain warning said.
The low overnight Wednesday to Thursday was expected to reach –12 C.
Kitchener and Waterloo declared snow events as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. It means people cannot park on city streets for 24 hours or until the snow event is cancelled. Overnight parking exemptions are cancelled to allow for snow clearing. Vehicles left on city streets could be ticketed or towed.
Evening closures
The Waterloo Region District School Board and the Waterloo Catholic District School Board announced all evening school rentals, games or activities would be cancelled Wednesday night.
Additionally, the Catholic board said all St. Louis Adult Learning and Continuing Education programs would be cancelled and all campuses were closed Wednesday.
Wilfrid Laurier University and the University of Waterloo announced it would close all campuses at 4:30 p.m. Closure means all in-person and online classes as well as all in-person meetings are cancelled.
Evening events were also cancelled at some community centres and arenas Wednesday evening.
Thursday morning
Environment Canada issued a freezing rain warning for Waterloo region, Guelph and southern Wellington County. A winter storm warning is also in effect for northern Wellington County.
Meteorologist Gerald Cheng told CBC News a prolonged period of freezing rain can lead to significant ice build-up that can cause utility outages.
"As we head into late evening, that's when we see that freezing rain come in for the Waterloo-Kitchener area and the freezing rain will stay with us basically late in the evening throughout the overnight into [Thursday]," Cheng said.
Temperatures will dip overnight and remain low into the weekend.
"We're not completely out of the woods because when we look at the temperatures for Thursday night, they will start to fall and there will be a stark reminder that winter is still in play," Cheng said.
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