Windstorm wreaks havoc on Ontario and Quebec making its way to N.L.

key takeaways:

• The storm then moved to Newfoundland and Labrador, where it was expected to hit on Sunday afternoon.
• According to Toronto Hydro, although there were no major power outages in the city, some areas were still without power Sunday afternoon.

A severe windstorm wreaked havoc and knocked out power across Ontario and Quebec on Saturday.

The storm then moved to Newfoundland and Labrador, where it was expected to make landfall on Sunday afternoon.

Let’s take a closer look at what transpired.

ONTARIO

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said in a weather summary on Sunday that a “strong, low-pressure system tracked over northeastern Ontario on Saturday,” bringing snow, freezing rain, and wind with it.

Heavy snow and freezing rain blanketed the province’s northeast, forcing many road closures.

Meanwhile, heavy rain fell in southern Ontario late Friday night and early Saturday, followed by “very strong winds” that knocked out power to more than 100,000 homes.

According to Hydro One, high winds across the province caused “significant damage” to infrastructure, including broken poles, fallen trees, and dangerous road conditions.

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According to Toronto Hydro, although there were no major power outages in the city, some areas were still without power Sunday afternoon.

Toronto police also received several calls about downed trees, wires, and dangling traffic lights.

In some areas, such as Hamilton Airport, Windsor Airport, and Toronto Island Airport, 100 km/h or more wind gusts were recorded.

At Point Petre in central Ontario and  Port Colborne in the province’s southeast, peak wind gusts of 130 kilometers per hour were recorded.

On Saturday, Kapuskasing received the most snowfall, with a total of 18 centimeters.

The city of Hamilton received the most rain, with 25.4 millimeters falling.

Residents from all over the province shared photos of downed trees and power lines.

A photo of a business sign crushing a car was posted to Twitter in Windsor.

On Saturday afternoon in London, a large oak tree fell on two homes and cars.

QUEBEC

Meanwhile, the same Colorado winter weather system brought freezing rain and strong winds in Quebec.

“Roads were partially or completely icy in several areas,” according to an ECCC weather report.

The storm knocked out power to nearly 400,000 people, according to the agency.

Nearly 340,000 Hydro-Quebec customers were still without power on Sunday morning.

Hydro-Quebec said more than 600 linemen had been mobilized to help restore power in a Sunday update.

The agency stated, “We are doing everything we can to restore service to as many customers as possible today.” “However, we already know that we will have to keep working in the coming days.”

Hydro-Quebec said clearing fallen trees and branches from its power system, as well as making necessary repairs, will take “a lot of work.”

“Pole replacement will be required in several locations,” the update states.

According to the ECCC, freezing rain hit several areas of the province, starting at 5 a.m. in some places and lasting until 11 p.m. in others.

Wind blows of over 100 km/h were recorded in Montreal, Longueuil, and Cap-Chat.

Due to the high winds, a tractor-trailer overturned Highway 13 in Laval shortly after midnight, according to the Surete du Quebec.

“SQ spokesperson Sgt. Stephane Tremblay said the truck, which was empty at the time of the incident, ended up on the parapet separating the south and north spans (…) at the Bisson Bridge. “The driver was trapped inside the cab, but he was unharmed.”

LABRADOR AND NEWFOUNDLAND

As the storm moved east, several winds and rainfall warnings were issued for parts of Newfoundland and Labrador on Sunday.

According to the ECCC, the strongest winds will hit the south coast of Newfoundland near noon, from Burgeo to the Burin Peninsula, before “easing slightly” as the winds shift west Sunday afternoon.

Buildings could be damaged, according to the National Weather Service.

The Canadian Press provided the files for this article.

Source: CTV News

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