Freezing rain warning blankets southern Ontario

The wintery mix of weather forecast for the region is here.

Prolonged periods of freezing rain are expected with significant ice build up in some areas that could be up to 20 mm.

Snow and ice pellets will change over to freezing rain late Wednesday afternoon and freezing rain is expected to continue tonight before tapering off early Thursday morning to patchy freezing drizzle. 

Surfaces such as highways roads, walkways and parking lots are expected to be slippery and “extremely hazardous,” according to Environment Canada.

The weather authority also warns that there could be extensive damage to trees and power outages in some areas.

Several bus routes in the London region were cancelled because of the forecast, as well as some routes in Huron-Perth.

The City of London's response to the ice storm

In a release issued from the City of London, the city said that crews are out applying sand and salt to roads and sidewalks and will continue to do so. With this in mind, overnight street parking is banned until further notice, and the city asks that residents remove their vehicles off the street.

The possibility of power outages also remains a major hazard, and the city advises residents that if they see a potential danger, such as tree branches on powerlines or downed powerlines, those concerns can be communicated via London Hydro’s emergency line at 519-661-5555.

If you notice a traffic or pedestrian signal not working, please report it by calling 519-661-2641, and if a traffic signal is out, remember to treat intersections like a four-way stop.

Residents can visit the London Hydro website for information pertaining to potential outages.

Community centres remain open, but all public library branches were closed as of 6 p.m. 

The city advises transit riders that due to inclement weather there may be transit delays, and that riders should bundle up if travelling and allow themselves extra time for their trip.

A full list of recreational facility closures and cancellations can be found on the City of London website. 

A current list of cancellations

Western University announced late Wedesday afternoon that due to inclement weather and worsening road conditions, the university will close at 6:00 p.m. All classes, activities and exams are cancelled.

"Plans are in place to ensure students in residence are cared for and that critical university infrastructure remains operational," the university said.

Meanwhile, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) said Wednesday afternoon that all programming running at schools and associated family centres will be cancelled Wednesday night due to inclement weather.

“All efforts will be made to extend your program by one week to account for this cancellation. If we cannot extend your program, you will receive a refund for the cancelled class,” the release reads.

The release adds that any programs other than TVDSB schools and family centres, such as community centres, will operate as normal unless otherwise notified. 

A full list of program cancellations can be found on the City of London website. 

The London Knights has also postponed the skills competition that was supposed to take place on Wednesday, and the new date is March 19 at 12 p.m.

Here's a look at London's forecast for the rest of the week:

Wednesday: Snow or ice pellets mixed with freezing rain changing to freezing rain or ice pellets this afternoon. Local snow and ice pellet amount 2 to 4 cm. Wind east 40 km/h gusting to 60. High minus 1. Wind chill near minus 10.

Wednesday Night: Freezing rain or ice pellets. Wind east 40 km/h gusting to 60 diminishing to 20 gusting to 40 late this evening. Low minus 3. Wind chill near minus 9.

Thursday: Periods of freezing drizzle or ice pellets changing to periods of drizzle near noon. Wind up to 15 km/h. High plus 4. Wind chill minus 7 in the morning.

Friday: A mix of sun and cloud with 60 per cent chance of flurries. High minus 8.

Saturday: Cloudy with 60 per cent chance of flurries. High minus 2.

Sunday: Cloudy with 30 per cent chance of flurries or rain showers. High zero.

Monday: Cloudy with 60 per cent chance of showers. High plus 5.

Tuesday: Cloudy with 40 per cent chance of flurries or rain showers. Windy. High plus 2. 

Watch Julie's full forecast and recent modelling in the video at the top of this article.