LONDON, ONT -- A snow squall warning has ended for the region after a cold arctic air mass has moved in generating snow squalls downwind of lake Huron.
Winds will eased overnight, with visibility improving in London by Thursday morning. Accumulations in eastern Middlesex County continued through the late evening but were expected to wind down by Thursday morning.
Eastern Lambton County along with Oxford, Huron-Perth, Grey-Bruce and Wellington, were all under warnings as well, while Elgin and Norfolk County are under travel advisories, all of which have now ended.
Conditions varied greatly depending on where you were in the region, or in the City of London, with some areas seeing snow while others saw sunshine.
Snowfall ranged from five to 20 cm across Southwestern Ontario.
Poor road conditions in Midwestern Ontario
Road conditions through the day were treacherous in parts of Huron, Perth, Grey and Bruce counties.
Highway 9 between Kincardine and Walkerton remained closed due to hazardous driving conditions into Wednesday evening but has since reopened.
The closure of Highway 21 from Kincardine to Amberley was also extended before reopening over night.
Bruce County declared a significant weather event, which means due to the snowy weather, it may take longer to clear roads than usual.
Saugeen Shores also declared a significant weather event, and is urging residents to stay off roads and sidewalks until further notice.
Snow squalls, fuelled by strong winds off Lake Huron, caused havoc, with sudden bursts of snow creating whiteout conditions that could last for several minutes at a time.
Areas hardest hit Wednesday included Kincardine, Hanover and Port Elgin.
Health unit suggests bundling up
While Wednesday's cold temperatures didn't drop low enough for a cold weather alert, the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) is reminding residents to prepare for the conditions if they're heading outside.
Randy Walker, public health inspector with the MLHU, said in a statement, “We see people every winter who don’t take the cold seriously, who don’t wear gloves or hats, winter boots or even a warm coat. Underestimating the cold can lead to hypothermia, frostbite or other health concerns.”
The health unit is also advising agancies that help the homeless to prepare for higher demand for services.
If you see someone in distress due to the cold you are encouraged to contact London CAReS at 519-663-5317 Ext. 2469 or 519-617-0570.