Toronto Pearson Airport is bracing for major disruptions as a powerful Ontario winter storm is set to dump up to 25 cm of snow over the GTA.
If you’re flying in or out of Pearson, get ready for possible flight delays or cancellations as airlines have already started scrapping flights due to Toronto’s weather.
According to a post by Toronto Pearson on X (formerly Twitter), traffic management initiatives will be in place to keep operations running smoothly — but with “the GTA’s biggest snowstorm of the season” expected to hit tonight, travel headaches seem inevitable.
The airport says its airfield maintenance specialists will be working nonstop to clear runways, taxiways and ramp areas, but it’s still urging travellers to check their flight status with their airline before heading out.
As of Wednesday morning, Flight tracking website FlightAware reports 119 cancellations and 109 delays for Pearson arrivals and departures so far today. Air Canada (including its affiliates Jazz and Rouge) accounts for 101 of today’s cancellations, while WestJet is reporting 14 and Porter Airlines currently has two.
Tomorrow’s numbers are already climbing too, with 56 cancellations in and out of YYZ so far — and the count keeps rising. As of the time of publishing, 45 of these are from Air Canada and its partners, with WestJet responsible for the other 11.
The snowstorm is expected to hit this afternoon and continue into Thursday morning, with heaviest snowfall rates reaching 2 to 4 centimetres per hour, according to a snowfall warning issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Some areas could see blowing snow, ice pellets and even freezing rain, making travel conditions even worse.
The Weather Network also warns that the 401 corridor and much of southern Ontario will be in the storm’s direct path — and gusty winds of up to 60 km/h on Wednesday evening through Thursday morning could add to the chaos.
If you’re travelling, your best bet is to stay updated on Pearson’s flight status and give yourself extra time to get to the airport. Roads and highways are expected to be messy and with another storm set to hit this weekend, this could be just the beginning of a winter travel nightmare.
This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.
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