UPDATE: Winter storm heading to GTA. But will Hamilton dodge another wallop?
A winter storm is heading our way but it looks like round three could spare Hamilton from another wallop.
A winter advisory is in effect for Burlington, Halton and the GTA where a lake effect band of snow is likely to dump 5 to 15 centimetres of new snow on the area. A winter weather travel advisory is in effect in the GTA for today to Friday morning.
Hamilton, Niagara and Haldimand should only see 2 to 4 cm from the storm which started in the Gulf of Mexico.
After a week of snow squalls and winter storm warnings, many residents are wondering if they could possibly shovel any more.
Environment Canada is calling for snow to begin Thursday morning in southern Ontario.
Hamilton will see a risk of snow squalls late in the afternoon. The snow will continue into the evening and tapering off into flurries by Friday morning.
Geoff Coulson, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, told The Spectator on Tuesday they are keeping their eye" on this system coming up from the Gulf of Mexico, expected overnight Thursday and into Friday.
Coulson said early estimates are looking at another 10 cm of snow.
We're not sure exactly what track it's going to take, but we know there will be a general snowfall in the area," he said.
As of 5 a.m. Thursday, the weather service is calling for Hamilton to see 2 to 4 cm of snow during the day and a risk of snow squalls developing late afternoon. Daytime temperatures should hold at minus 5, feeling more like -13 with the wind chill. A possible 2 to 4 cm more snow is expected overnight.
Hamilton is recovering from back to back winter storm systems that moved through the area earlier in the week. Some areas of Hamilton reported more than 20 to 30 cm of snow during each of the storms. Schools and other community services were closed or altered on Tuesday because of the weather.
Hamilton's Waterfront Trail at Confederation Beach Park remains closed because of the accumulated snow.
The Hamilton Conservation Authority closed the trail Wednesday morning because of the large amounts of snow and drifts. In a tweet Wednesday, the city said it is working to clear the snow and is asking residents to stay away until the trail is reopened.
Garbage pickup in the city was already delayed a day by the Family Day holiday on Monday and Tuesday's storm created more delays in pick up. In a release, the city asked residents whose waste and recycling wasn't picked up by 6 p.m. Tuesday, to hold back" until their next schedule collection day.
The next scheduled collection day for affected residents is Monday, Feb. 22. Residents who didn't get their garbage pick up on Tuesday will be able to put two bags for their next pickup before needing trash tags.
- With files from Fallon Hewitt
Jennifer Moore is an editorial assistant at The Spectator in Hamilton. Reach her via email: jmoore@thespec.com