Winter Storm Warning

I have never seen a winter storm warning like the one they currently have posted on Environment Canada's weather warnings. Here is the text from it. I am thinking that we will be housebound today as I do not want to get stuck in the storm with a 4-month old. Not a good idea...

Ottawa North - Kanata - Orléans
5:47 AM EST Sunday 16 December 2007
Winter storm warning for
Ottawa North - Kanata - Orléans continued

A crippling Major winter storm with heavy snow and blowing snow as well as some ice pellets is moving in right on schedule this morning.

This is a warning that dangerous winter weather conditions are imminent or occurring in these regions. Monitor weather conditions..Listen for updated statements.



A massive winter storm has begun over southern Ontario and the stage is set for this dangerous storm to kick into high gear over the entire forecast district today with near record snowfall amounts.

Latest analyses show a rapidly deepening low pressure centre now over northern Ohio just southwest of Cleveland this morning. This low is preceeded by an expanding area of heavy snow with some freezing rain and ice pellets having mixed in at times as far north as the Windsor London Kitchener and Toronto areas.

There have been several reports from the OPP of freezing rain and low to almost nil visibility in heavy snow over southern Ontario earlier this morning.

This intensifying winter storm centre will move towards Lake Erie then northeast across western and then northern New York state to New England by this evening. This storm track is placing southern and eastern Ontario directly under the brunt of heavy snow. A few claps of thunder along with bursts of very heavy snow are also likely and have already been reported over southeastern Michigan and possibly southwestern Ontario early this morning.

The main snow event has moved into southwestern Ontario now and will rapidly expand and envelop all regions east to Ottawa this morning. Copious amounts of snow as well as strong winds causing blowing snow are expected. The snow will be mixed at times with ice pellets and freezing rain along and south of a line from grand through the greater Toronto area to Kingston and then along the St Lawrence river Valley to Cornwall.

Widespread snowfall accumulations of 20 to 30 cm are expected in most areas by this evening. Some local amounts of 40 to 50 cm or more are quite likely in a few areas..Especially from the west end of Lake Ontario and eastwards into far eastern Ontario. Snowfall rates of 2 to 4 cm an hour are expected with low to nil visibility in sustained bursts of heavy snow likely.

Significant blowing snow is expected to accompany the heavy snow due to strong northeast winds gusting to 70 km/h whipping up the freshly fallen snow and causing whiteout conditions.

This is a dangerous winter storm. It is strongly recommended to avoid unnecessary travel during this storm. This massive snow storm has the potential to cause paralyzing conditions as road travel on any unplowed streets becomes next to impossible today. All motorists who must travel are urgently advised to use extreme caution and plan for much extra time to reach their destination.

There remains a high degree of certainty with this storm as the the latest computer model and observed trends continue to forecast this potential record setting winter storm.

The storm is expected to move out over southern Ontario by this evening with the heavy snow moving out of eastern Ontario by Monday morning as the storm centre moves away over New England into the Maritimes. However snowsqualls may form tonight to the Lee of Lake Huron resulting in a continuation of locally dangerous winter travelling conditions throughout the night.