Police respond to dozens of crashes as snow blankets GTA, city declares extreme cold alert

Salt trucks are out but roads are slippery in spots, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt says

Emergency crews were responding to about 30 crashes on highways across the Greater Toronto Area Friday morning, after snow fell in the area.

In a video posted on Twitter, OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said those crashes included a jackknifed transport truck around Highway 401 and Highway 6, alongside other problems across the region.

“Please, if you are out on the roads, remember, the roads may only look wet but they could be slippery,” Schmidt said.

“We still have snow that’s flying and blowing across the highways.”

Environment Canada’s forecast for Toronto is calling for a few flurries ending late Friday morning, then cloudy with a 40 per cent chance of flurries, with a temperature around -3 C.

Temperatures and wind chill values are expected to drop Friday evening however, with a low of -9 C and wind chill values making it feel more like -16 C overnight. A high of -5 C is expected Saturday with wind chill values making it seem like -17 C in the morning.

As a result, the city has declared an extreme cold weather alert.

In a news release issued Friday, the city said snow and snow showers are expected today, followed by a cloudy evening. Up to seven centimetres of snow is expected by the evening.

The city says salting started overnight and will continue throughout the day, with sidewalk and separated bike lane clearing underway.

Officials arterial and collector roads happened in North York were plowed this morning. Laneway salting is underway in North York and Etobicoke

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