Cold temperatures, high winds and blowing snow batter southwestern Ontario Tuesday.
Temperatures hovering around -14 and winds gusting up to 50-60 km/h are creating windchill values of -26 Tuesday. Environment Canada is expecting the temperature to remain steady through the day and winds will not diminish until later in the evening.
A snow squall warning has been issued for northern Huron County, southern Bruce County and Grey County. Strong northwest winds over Lake Huron and Georgian Bay are generating local snow squalls. The strongest of these squalls could generate 1-3 cm per hour with total accumulations of up to 15 cm today.
A snow squall watch is in effect for southern Huron County, Perth County, northern Wellington County and the Bruce Peninsula. The squalls hitting areas more north are expected to shift south as the day progresses.
Bruce County O.P.P. reported that high winds and blowing snow were creating near zero visibility at times. Highway 21 is closed from Goderich to Port Elgin and Highway 9 from Kincardine to Walkerton are also closed. . Highway 86 from Wingham to Amberley was closed for several hours. Residents were asked to postpone non-essential trips.
Buses serving schools in and around Listowel, Milverton, Clinton, Mitchell, Seaforth and Goderich did not run today. Rural buses for Stratford and St. Marys were cancelled as well.
School buses serving Owen Sound, Meaford, Port Elgin, Wiarton, Hanover, Walkerton, Lucknow, Dundalk and Flesherton areas were cancelled. All schools in Teeswater, Lucknow, Ripley and Kincardine were closed.
