Snow squalls expected to make travel difficult, with up to 20 cm possible

The weather is here to stay as numerous parts of our region are dealing with more snow.

If you thought it was over, you thought wrong. Environment Canada is warning that another round of lake-effect snow will make travel difficult across parts of Simcoe and Grey counties Friday.

A Yellow Snow Squall Warning was issued at 8:19 a.m. Friday, with the federal agency calling for 10 to 20 centimetres of snow by late afternoon and noting some areas could see even higher totals.

The warning covers Barrie, Collingwood, Hillsdale, Midland, Coldwater, Orr Lake, Orillia, Lagoon City, Washago, Owen Sound, the Blue Mountains and northern Grey County.

According to Environment Canada, a band of lake-effect snow developed early Friday morning, stretching from the Bruce Peninsula toward Lake Simcoe.

• Hourly and 7-day forecast on our CTVNewsBarrie.ca weather hub

Forecasters say the band will likely hold in place for much of the day, shifting only slightly from time to time. While winds are expected to remain light the agency says visibility will still be reduced during bursts of heavy snow. The heaviest snowfall is expected to stay north of Barrie.

Environment Canada said travel “will likely be hazardous” throughout the day and warned drivers to be prepared for “quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions” as the lake-effect band repeatedly rebuilds over the same areas.

The snow is expected to ease Friday evening for most communities, though forecasters say it may continue longer in areas closer to Lake Huron.

Friday’s yellow warning also highlights the federal agency’s new colour-coded alert system, introduced this year to help the public better understand the severity of approaching weather.

• Yellow signals a moderate impact level, meaning conditions may disrupt travel or daily routines.
• Orange indicates a high-impact event with a greater risk to safety and infrastructure.
• Red is reserved for the most dangerous weather, where significant and widespread impacts are expected.

The current yellow warning follows directly on the heels of a major storm that swept into the region Wednesday, bringing heavy snow, whiteouts and widespread bus cancellations.