Several parts of southern Ontario and Quebec saw their first snowfall of the season and special weather statements from Environment Canada on Sunday.
The federal weather agency issued special weather statements from London, Ont., in the province’s southwest, to Ottawa further east as a low pressure system moved through the region.
Light snow fell most of Sunday in Toronto and forecasters expected an additional two to four centimetres to accumulate by the evening, while Ottawa was expected to get 10 to 20 centimetres.
In downtown Montreal, where the snowflakes were forecast to melt to freezing rain and then rain late Sunday evening, Bianca Hernandez took in the frosty sights and thought about how her commute is set to be different due to the changing weather.
“It’s nice but I’m dreading the cold for the next few months,” she said.
She said she plans to start bringing an extra pair of boots to her bank job and will likely have to wake up earlier in case any snow pileups make her walk longer.
“In the summer it was nice, but now it’s going to be super cold and I’m not excited for that,” she said.
Canada’s air navigation service provider, NAV Canada, posted on social media on Sunday that there were flight delays at Trudeau International Airport in Montreal and at Pearson International Airport in Toronto due to weather.
“Our team is moving aircraft safely, and as quickly as possible,” said NAV Canada’s post.
The post for Pearson noted the delays were also due to “NAV Canada resources,” which the service provider blamed for delays in Toronto last weekend as well.
At the Canadian Premier League’s North Star Cup in Ottawa, snowplows were needed to clear the soccer field at TD Place at the end of regulation play when the game between Atlético Ottawa and Cavalry FC of Calgary on Sunday went into extra time.
When Calgary scored in the 33rd minute, Atlético fans pelted the celebrating visitors with snowballs.
Other parts of eastern Ontario, including Cornwall, Brockville and Kingston, were under freezing rain warnings for most of Sunday. But the warnings ended later in the day as the mercury fell and the forecast called for a chance of flurries or snow.
Snowfall warnings were issued for many areas of eastern Quebec.
Environment Canada said motorists should adjust their travel plans due to difficult driving conditions. It said drivers should consider installing their winter tires.
In anticipation of the snowfall, the City of Toronto opened new shelter spaces for people experiencing homelessness as temperatures in the city were expected to plunge to -5 C on Sunday.
