After a “big shot of rain,” the GTA should brace for swiftly dropping temperatures and a day of blowing snow, warns Environment Canada meteorologist Mitch Meredith.
Already the agency says “dangerously low visibilities are sweeping” throughout southern Ontario, and provincial police are advising people to stay off the roads if possible.
The temperature has dropped throughout the morning, but not yet hit below zero. However, Meredith says he anticipates a temperature of –5C by noon. Wind chill could make it feel like 20 below by late afternoon.
“The conditions out there are going to change quite significantly,” he said. “I think the change to a hard freeze will take a couple more hours.”
The worst of the weather is expected to hit later today and last through to Saturday morning. “It could get very slippery,” Meredith said. He said high winds on Saturday could make it feel like it’s snowing even after the snow has tapered off into flurries.
The wintry mix will make travel difficult, Environment Canada has warned, and could throw a wrench into plans for the Christmas weekend.
Toronto’s forecast calls for:
Five to 15 centimetres of snow by Saturday morning.
Strong winds with gusts up to 90 km/h, developing this morning and continuing into tomorrow.
Wind chill values in the minus 20s that will develop today and persist into the weekend.
The federal weather agency urges people to avoid “non-essential” travel during the storm.
Widespread power outages are possible.
Hydro One, Ontario’s largest electricity utility, has said teams are prepared to respond to any outages. Toronto Hydro has reminded customers to refresh their emergency kits and said additional crews are ready to support customers through the weekend.
City says it is prepared
The City of Toronto, meanwhile, says it is sending crews and equipment to high-priority areas so that they can respond when required.
Salting will begin as soon as the snow starts to stick to the ground. Plowing will begin when the snow reaches:
Two centimetres on sidewalks and separated cycle tracks.
2.5 centimetres on expressways.
Five centimetres on major roads, transit routes and streets with hills.
Eight centimetres on residential streets.
A snow vehicle makes its way along Front Street during the wet snowfall on Dec. 15, 2022. (Michael Wilson/CBC)
The city also opened three warming centres on Thursday night for people experiencing homelessness:
Scarborough Civic Centre, 150 Borough Dr., opened at 7 p.m.
Metro Hall, 55 John St., opened at 7 p.m.
Mitchell Field Community Centre, 89 Church Ave., opened at 8 p.m.
According to the city, forestry crews are preparing to respond if high winds snap branches or bring trees down. Hazards to public safety or property and roads that needs to be cleared will be the priority. Residents can report fallen branches and trees to 311.
Toronto Water crews are also on standby to repair watermain breaks and offer help if local areas flood.
The city advises residents to avoid travel until conditions improves. If travel is essential on Friday morning, expect low visibility and icy and slippery conditions. Motorists should slow down, follow at a safe distance, watch out for pedestrians and cyclists, and stay alert.
All residents are also urged to keep a safe distance from snow clearing equipment and crews to let them do their work.
WestJet cancels all flights out of Pearson on Friday
Meanwhile, WestJet has cancelled all flights arriving and departing from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport on Friday.
The cancellations begin at 9 a.m. ET until the end of the day and the airline says a “restart” depends on weather conditions by Saturday.
The service suspension will affect other Ontario and Quebec airports as well, including Ottawa International Airport, London International Airport, the Region of Waterloo International Airport and Montreal-Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport.
WestJet said the cancellations will affect 140 flights across the five airports. It added that the decision to cancel was made after it consulted airport authorities and NAV Canada. All travellers have been notified, it said.
“The prolonged and extreme weather events that continue to impact multiple regions across Canada are unlike anything we’ve experienced,” said Diederik Pen, WestJet’s chief operations officer, said in a statement.
Tori Gass, spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airport Authority, said that flights at Pearson were still running smoothly early Friday but warned that could change.
The expected high winds and blowing snow could significantly slow down operations. Gas said it is “definitely a possibility” that other airlines could begin mass cancelling flights if conditions deteriorate, and she urged all travellers to check their flight status before heading to the airport.
Several boards close schools
Several Greater Toronto Area school boards say schools are closed Friday due to the storm:
Toronto District School Board.
Toronto Catholic District School Board.
Peel District School Board.
York Region District School Board.
York Catholic District School Board.
Durham District School Board.
The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board and Halton District School Board are also closed, but those closures were already on their calendars.
The TDSB said child care centres and before and after school programs located in its schools will also be closed and all permits will be cancelled for the day.
All in-person Continuing Education after school and evening courses are also cancelled on Friday. Those courses include International Languages Elementary and African Heritage, Learn4Life Community Programs and Adult ESL.
Dovercourt Junior Public School emerges from the snow on Dec. 1, 2020. (Patrick Morrell/CBC)
TTC implements severe weather plan
The TTC, for its part, says it is enacting its severe weather plan to ensure it can keep continue to deliver essential transit sevice.
The transit agency says it is doing the following:
Extra staff and vehicles are available if need be.
Line 3 Scarborough SRT will be in service Friday morning with parallel bus servicing running. If needed, the line will be closed and replaced with buses.
41 bus stops in areas difficult for buses to navigate in snow and ice will be taken out of service overnight. The full list can be found here.
Anti-icing and snow clearing protocols will in place in all bus, streetcar and subway divisions.
Subway trains will be stored in tunnels along main lines to avoid issues getting out of the yards.
The streetcar overhead network and vehicles have been treated with an anti-icing application. Should any issues arise on 512 St Clair, replacement buses will run.
Private contractor tow trucks are ready to help any trapped vehicles and the TTC’s fleet of snow-clearing equipment will be used if needed.
The TTC will stay in regular communication with the city to ensure crews are aware of issues on transit routes.
GO Trains to operate on slightly reduced service
Metrolinx has implemented what it calls a “heavy snow plan,” according to spokesperson Matt Llewellyn, only the second time in five years that such a plan has been implemented.
That means GO trains will be running on a slightly reduced schedule during the morning and afternoon peak periods, with an extra 10 or 15 minutes possible between some trains. There will be no express trains on Friday.
Llewellyn said there will be no major cancellations of service. If road conditions deteriorate, there could be some delays and cancellations of GO bus service, however. He said if there is rail option, that might be a better bet for travellers, he added.
“We need to make sure that we can continue to operate that train service safely even during really bad storms like the one that we’re expected to see,” he said.
Riders should check the GO Transit website before heading out the door and give themselves extra time, he advises.
How should you prepare?
Residents are urged to make an emergency plan and prepare a kit with drinking water, food, medicine, first aid supplies and a flashlight, the federal weather agency says.
Environment Canada says residents should continue to check local forecasts.
Montreal Alouettes wide receiver Tyson Philpot has announced he will be out for the rest of the CFL season.
The Delta, B.C., native posted the news on his Instagram page Thursday.
“To Be Continued. Shoutout my team, the fans of the CFL and the whole city of Montreal! I can’t wait to be back healthy and write this next chapter in 2025,” the statement read.
Philpot, 24, injured his foot in a 33-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Aug. 10 and was placed on the six-game injured list the next week.
The six-foot-one, 195-pound receiver had 58 receptions, 779 yards and five touchdowns in nine games for the league-leading Alouettes in his third season.
Philpot scored the game-winning touchdown in Montreal’s Grey Cup win last season to punctuate a six-reception, 63-yard performance.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 12, 2024.
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained a concussion for the third time in his NFL career, leaving his team’s game Thursday night against Buffalo after running into defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the turf.
Tagovailoa remained down for about two minutes before getting to his feet and walking to the sideline after the play in the third quarter. He made his way to the tunnel not long afterward, looking into the stands before smiling and departing toward the locker room.
The Dolphins needed almost no time before announcing it was a concussion. The team said he had two during the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion when he was a college player at Alabama.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa would get “proper procedural evaluation” and “appropriate care” on Friday.
“The furthest thing from my mind is, ‘What is the timeline?’ We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are,” McDaniel said. “We’ll get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from here.”
Some players saw Tagovailoa in the locker room after the game and said they were encouraged. Tagovailoa spoke with some players and then went home after the game, McDaniel said.
“I have a lot of love for Tua, built a great relationship with him,” said quarterback Skylar Thompson, who replaced Tagovailoa after the injury. “You care about the person more than the player and everybody in the organization would say the same thing. Just really praying for Tua and hopefully everything will come out all right.”
Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million extension before this season — a deal that makes him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL — and was the NFL’s leading passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, and that was the final score.
“If you know Tua outside of football, you can’t help but feel for him,” Bills quarterback Josh Allen said on Amazon following the game. “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best humans on the planet. I’ve got a lot of love for him and I’m just praying for him and his family, hoping everything’s OK. But it’s tough, man. This game of football that we play, it’s got its highs and it’s got its lows — and this is one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa’s college years and first three NFL seasons were marred by injury, though he positioned himself for a big pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023 as he led the Dolphins into the playoffs. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards last year.
When, or if, he can come back this season is anyone’s guess. Tagovailoa said in April 2023 that the concussions he had in the 2022 season left him contemplating his playing future. “I think I considered it for a time,” he said then, when asked if he considered stepping away from the game to protect himself.
McDaniel said it’s not his place to say if Tagovailoa should return to football. “He’ll be evaluated and we’ll have conversations and progress as appropriate,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was hurt Thursday on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left in the third. He went straight ahead into Hamlin and did not slide, leading with his right shoulder instead.
Hamlin was the player who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a tackle during a Monday night game in January 2023 at Cincinnati, causing the NFL to suspend a pivotal game that quickly lost significance in the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in front of a national television audience.
Tagovailoa wound up on his back, both his hands in the air and Bills players immediately pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. Dolphins center Aaron Brewer quickly did the same, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand as he lay on the ground. It was movement consistent with something that is referred to as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa eventually got to his feet. McDaniel grabbed the side of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed. Thompson came into the game to take Tagovailoa’s spot.
“I love Tua on and off the football field,” Bills edge Von Miller said. “I’m a huge fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him because I’ve been there. I wish him the best.”
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions — and how he has since worked to avoid them — is a huge part of the story of his career, and now comes to the forefront once again.
He had at least two concussions during the 2022 season. He was hurt in a Week 3 game against Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, though he appeared disoriented on that play but returned to the game.
The NFL later changed its concussion protocol to mandate that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms — including a lack of balance or stability — he must sit out the rest of the game.
Less than a week later, in a Thursday night game at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the field on a stretcher.
His second known concussion of that season came in a December game against Green Bay, and he didn’t play for the rest of the 2022 season. After that, Tagovailoa began studying ways where he may be able to fall more safely and protect himself against further injury — including studying jiu-jitsu.
“I’m not worried about anything that’s out of my hands,” McDaniel said. “I’m just worried about the human being.”
NEW YORK (AP) — When her husband turns on the television to hear news about the upcoming presidential election, that’s often a signal for Lori Johnson Malveaux to leave the room.
It can get to be too much. Often, she’ll go to a TV in another room to watch a movie on the Hallmark Channel or BET. She craves something comforting and entertaining. And in that, she has company.
While about half of Americans say they are following political news “extremely” or “very” closely, about 6 in 10 say they need to limit how much information they consume about the government and politics to avoid feeling overloaded or fatigued, according to a new survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts.
Make no mistake: Malveaux plans to vote. She always does. “I just get to the point where I don’t want to hear the rhetoric,” she said.
The 54-year-old Democrat said she’s most bothered when she hears people on the news telling her that something she saw with her own eyes — like the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol — didn’t really happen.
“I feel like I’m being gaslit. That’s the way to put it,” she said.
Sometimes it feels like ‘a bombardment’
Caleb Pack, 23, a Republican from Ardmore, Oklahoma, who works in IT, tries to keep informed through the news feeds on his phone, which is stocked with a variety of sources, including CNN, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and The Associated Press.
Yet sometimes, Pack says, it seems like a bombardment.
“It’s good to know what’s going on, but both sides are pulling a little bit extreme,” he said. “It just feels like it’s a conversation piece everywhere, and it’s hard to escape it.”
Media fatigue isn’t a new phenomenon. A Pew Research Center survey conducted in late 2019 found roughly two in three Americans felt worn out by the amount of news there is, about the same as in a poll taken in early 2018. During the 2016 presidential campaign, about 6 in 10 people felt overloaded by campaign news.
But it can be particularly acute with news related to politics. The AP-NORC/USAFacts poll found that half of Americans feel a need to limit their consumption of information related to crime or overseas conflicts, while only about 4 in 10 are limiting news about the economy and jobs.
It’s easy to understand, with television outlets like CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC full of political talk and a wide array of political news online, sometimes complicated by disinformation.
“There’s a glut of information,” said Richard Coffin, director of research and advocacy for USAFacts, “and people are having a hard time figuring out what is true or not.”
Women are more likely to feel they need to limit media
In the AP-NORC poll, about 6 in 10 men said they follow news about elections and politics at least “very” closely, compared to about half of women. For all types of news, not just politics, women are more likely than men to report the need to limit their media consumption, the survey found.
White adults are also more likely than Black or Hispanic adults to say they need to limit media consumption on politics, the poll found.
Kaleb Aravzo, 19, a Democrat, gets a baseline of news by listening to National Public Radio in the morning at home in Logan, Utah. Too much politics, particularly when he’s on social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, can trigger anxiety and depression.
“If it pops up on my page when I’m on social media,” he said, “I’ll just scroll past it.”
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Sanders reported from Washington. David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder.
The AP poll of 1,019 adults was conducted July 29-August 8, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.
