Up to 100 vehicles are said to be involved in numerous collisions on a stretch of highway in Ontario that is being pummeled by a winter storm Friday.
Multiple collisions have been reported across the GTA, with highway closures in southwestern Ontario on Highway 401 and 402 due to collisions.
“Please, if you don’t need to be on the roads stay home, wait until this system passes. Let the plows and salters do their job. The best place is off the highway,” OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said in a video posted on Twitter.
#OnStorm Road and weather conditions continue to deteriorate, Multiple collisions across the GTA, highway closures in southwestern on #Hwy401/402 due to collisions. Please stay home if you can. pic.twitter.com/ob0aNDLDgc
— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) December 23, 2022
You don’t want to be caught in this. #MiddlesexOPP media officer Cst. Jeff Hare says the 401/402 corridor is one of the worst traffic scenes he’s ever seen. Today is a good day to stay home and stay safe. For road closure information, check @OPP_COMM_WR or @511ONWest. ^dr pic.twitter.com/2iKGIpkN2u
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) December 23, 2022
“Today is going to be a tough day for a lot of drivers,” Schmidt added. “Roads might be wet in one area and then completely icy and snow-covered in another.”
Videos from across Ontario show whiteout conditions with snow falling and high winds.
Emergency vehicles are moving around, but roads are being closed off everywhere around Ft Erie. @weathernetwork #ONStorm pic.twitter.com/JEHI5YK97c
— Mark Robinson (@StormhunterTWN) December 23, 2022
Sawmill Road Bloomingdale Ontario. Drive safe everyone. @weathernetwork @KMacTWN @StormhunterTWN @MurphTWN @RachelSchoutsen @nadinehp4 @ECCCWeatherON #ONStorm #winter @CTVKitchener @CTVNews @CBCNews @environmentca pic.twitter.com/1KPKHFNZlS
— Crosswind Studios (@flycrosswind) December 23, 2022
Photo from a plow driver on #Hwy23 near #Atwood.
Stay off the roads today!#OnWX #Onstorm pic.twitter.com/lTVtFRBh3T
— WxOntario (@WxOntario1) December 23, 2022
On the way back from Lake Erie experienced lots of white outs and near whiteouts. #onstorm #onwx pic.twitter.com/EkNwPopvpF
— Kyle (@KdtKyle) December 23, 2022
Blizzard conditions hear in Port Colborne with 80km/h gusts #ONStorm #blizzard #onwx #shareyourweather pic.twitter.com/FqxwWWftKJ
— James Head (@Jamie22724000) December 23, 2022
We are happy to be home safe and sound. This is the 400 South be for Innisfil Beach Road. Stay Safe, Everyone. #ONStorm #Barrie #400North #HWY400 #BarrieStorm #StayHome pic.twitter.com/3NucPqgy7U
— Louise Jackson (@louisejackmedia) December 23, 2022
Much of the country is being walloped by wicked winter storms on Friday, with flight cancellations galore for major transportation hubs in Vancouver and Toronto.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has also issued a string of weather warnings for every single province in Canada on Friday, varying from extreme cold warnings, snowfall warnings, and freezing rain warnings to wind warnings, storm surge warnings, and rainfall warnings.