GTA getting 1st blast of winter weather Wednesday

The Greater Toronto Area is getting its first taste of winter weather on Wednesday, with areas north of the city being hit the hardest.

A low pressure system that landed in the morning is bringing snow and high winds to parts of the region, according to a weather advisory from Environment Canada. 

The Toronto area could see close to five centimetres before the snow tapers off by the evening, the federal weather agency says. 

Environment Canada says the snowfall could result in reduced visibility and hazardous driving conditions. It says there may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in some areas.

OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt told CBC News that officers were very busy with calls for service Wednesday, with dozens of crashes through the morning alone on OPP-patrolled highways.

"Collision reporting centres are very busy," he said.

Just how much snow you might encounter really depends on your location, Schmidt said, with less snow in downtown Toronto, but bigger accumulations as you head farther north through areas like Orillia and Huntsville.

"The weather may not be coming down as heavy in some areas, but sometimes just that little bit of moisture can make for very slippery and slick driving and catch drivers by surprise," he said.

Peel paramedic officials told CBC News they responded to a number of crashes through the morning, especially on highways 403 and 407 — with multiple collisions on the 407 between Airport Road and Mississauga Road.

Some patients have sustained minor injuries, officials say.

Parts of Ontario still digging out from a major weekend storm are also expected to get another dump of snow.

An Environment Canada weather advisory for Bracebridge and Gravenhurst in Muskoka says five to 10 centimetres of snow is expected in the area Wednesday, with a possible "significant impact" on the afternoon commute.

"Crews are still working on restoring power from last weekend's power outage and weather event," Schmidt said.

Officers from the Huntsville OPP detachment warned in a news release in the early afternoon that weather and road conditions were continuing to deteriorate.