A major winter storm is battering Quebec and Ontario, calling for reconsideration of travel plans as conditions could become dangerous.
Environment Canada has issued weather warnings for much of Ontario and Quebec, saying heavy snow, high winds and freezing rain are expected in some areas.
In Quebec, many regions are expected to receive a mix of heavy snow, rain and strong winds, while some areas may experience freezing rain.
Parts of the eastern part of the province are also under warnings of the risk of breaking waves and coastal overtopping.
Several school service centers in Quebec have announced the closure of elementary and secondary schools for Friday due to weather conditions and for security reasons.
In parts of southern Ontario, rain followed by a drop in temperatures could bring sudden freezing conditions, while high winds and blizzard conditions are forecast for some areas.
Several school boards, including in Toronto Ottawa and London, also closed schools for the day.
Late Thursday, WestJet proactively canceled flights at airports in Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia due to weather forecasts.
The airline says the cancellations apply to all flights scheduled to arrive in and depart from Toronto Pearson International Airport starting Friday at 9 a.m. EST until the end of the day. Other airports affected by service interruptions include those in Ottawa, London, Montreal and Waterloo.
Meteorologists have warned that weather conditions in both provinces could lead to power outages.
Hydro-Québec ensures that its teams are monitoring the evolution of the situation and will be ready “to intervene as soon as necessary”. Shortly after 6 a.m. Friday, the Crown corporation reported 261 interruptions affecting more than 58,000 customers, mainly in the Outaouais and the Laurentians.
At Hydro One, Ontario’s largest electric utility, there were also about 16,000 customers without power in the early morning.