Persistent snow squalls bring heavy accumulations to Barrie area

As the wind continues to howl and the snow continues to blow, it might be best to hunker down.

Environment Canada issued snow squall watches and warnings for most of central Ontario Friday.

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Meteorologist Steven Flisfeder highlighted the unpredictability of snow squalls, noting how localized weather patterns can dramatically impact certain areas while leaving others largely untouched.

“Areas near Barrie received upwards of 50 or 60 centimetres of snow so far, and areas just 10, 15 kilometres north received barely any snow,” he said.

On Friday afternoon, provincial police responded to several collisions along Highway 400 south of Barrie.

Emergency crews and OPP respond to collisions in the southbound lanes along Highway 400 in Innisfil on Fri., Jan. 3, 2025. (Supplied)

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CTV News most were due to the weather and reduced visibility on the highway, but noted the crashes were all minor.

Shortly after 1 p.m., the southbound lanes near Innisfil Beach Road were at a crawl due to fender-benders.

Police closed two lanes temporarily while tow truck operators worked to remove the vehicles involved. The backlog stalled traffic all the way to Essa Road in Barrie.OPP responds to collisions in the southbound lanes along Highway 400 in Innisfil on Fri., Jan. 3, 2025. (Supplied)

The weather conditions are expected to intensify over the weekend.

Environment Canada forecasts locally heavy snowfall with total accumulations ranging from 20 to 40 centimetres, accompanied by drastically reduced visibility on the roads at times.

“Road closures are possible,” the national weather agency noted.

The snow squalls, fuelled by lake-effect snow off Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, will strengthen on Saturday and likely persist into Sunday.

Residents are urged to avoid unnecessary travel during the inclement weather.