Winter storm turns to rain in Toronto

Toronto's first blast of winter turned from snow to driving rain on Wednesday, but the weather problems might not be quite over yet.

As the city's downtown filled with wet snow and slush, forecasters predicted flurries and a dip in temperatures overnight, which could cause headaches for drivers and pedestrians. 

"The complicating factor right now is the fact that it will continue to be very windy," said Environment Canada's Geoff Coulson. "We've had some gusty winds from the east, and those will shift to the west."

Icy conditions are expected unless the wet weather subsides before an expected cold front blows in Thursday or Friday, Coulson said.

"There is no doubt that across southern Ontario, there will be some icy patches [Thursday] morning as that cold air is settled into the region," he said.

By the time the storm passes through Toronto, it is expected to drop between five and 10 centimetres of snow on most parts of the city.

"For Toronto itself, the worst of the accumulating snow is over," said Coulson. 

The storm arrived early Wednesday morning and led to clogged roads, slowed surface transit and delayed flights at Pearson Airport, and generally left a lot of people running late.

About 50 flights were delayed at Pearson, the country's busiest airport. 

The snow also left a trail of minor accidents on city streets as well as the Gardiner Expressway and the DonValley Parkway.

The mix of rain and snow weighed down some power lines and led to power outages in some parts of the city. 

Sections of the city's west end, North York and Scarborough spent much of the morning without power.

Toronto Hydro spokesperson Tanya Bruckmueller said it wasn't clear how long it would take to get the power up and running.

"If it was nice and sunny, it would definitely make restoration much easier," she said. "Our crews have all been dispatched, [and] we've asked for extra crews to come in to help with the restoration process."

Peter Noehammer, the city's manager of transportation services, said the change from snow to rain will give his crews a chance to catch up.

"Our focus now is just to try and deal with the snow that has come down," he said. "But now that it's turning into a wet, sloppy mess, later on this morning we'll be trying to deal with the slush and also some potential ... flooding as more rain comes down."

Some people were out early clearing their walkways. 

John Stevens, who normally does a quick job of sluicing away the snow and water, was taking extra special care. 

"I have the auditor coming this morning, so I wouldn't want him to trip and fall," he said.

Others were also taking the first snow of the season in stride. 

Rick Bornes laughed when asked how he was getting along.

"I enjoy it," he said. "It's experience. You have to get used to it. And when you're used to it, you can drive in it."