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Potential 'significant' ice storm for eastern Ontario, western Quebec

Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for most of eastern Ontario with the potential for a 'significant' ice storm.

Ice buildup could be up to 15 millimetres on trees, hydro lines

CBC News ·
Small icicles hang off a statue of someone in a military uniform.
Ice freezes on a statue as freezing rain falls on downtown Ottawa March 23, 2023. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for most of eastern Ontario with the potential for a "significant" ice storm.

A colour-coded map of southern Ontario and Quebec. The Ottawa area is mostly red.
The weather alert map Tuesday morning. Red are warnings, yellow are watches and grey are special statements. The area with the potential ice storm is highlighted. (Environment Canada)

Freezing rain and ice pellets are forecast overnight into Wednesday afternoon for an area stretching from Renfrew County's western border and Bancroft through Ottawa-Gatineau to Prescott-Russell.

Environment Canada says prolonged freezing rain could lead to significant ice buildup of 10 to 15 millimetres in some areas. There is a risk of power outages and tree damage.

"If most of the precipitation falls in the form of freezing rain, this has the potential to be a significant ice storm for the region," it said.

Communities further south of Ottawa such as Brockville, Cornwall and Lanark County could see freezing rain and ice pellets Wednesday morning under their freezing rain warning.

The rest of western Quebec has its own freezing rain warning. It could get 10 to 20 millimetres of freezing precipitation during the day Wednesday, according to the weather agency.

Maniwaki's forecast is early morning snow changing to ice pellets, then to freezing rain, then to rain later in the day.

Thursday's forecasted high of 12 C would be Ottawa's warmest day of the year so far. The last time Ottawa reached 10 C was in late November.

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