Road closures, crashes continue to rack up as snow squalls batter London region

As snow squalls continue to blanket southwestern Ontario, school boards in the London region announced the closure of all schools Thursday morning, and police are reporting closures and collisions across the area roads.

Several stretches of highways 401, 402 and 403 were closed due to collisions. A list of some of those closures is available below.

Officials from the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB), the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB), and the French boards made the announcements as wave of winter weather passed through the area.

Environment Canada warned snow would continue throughout the day, with a yellow warning in effect for snow squalls that began Wednesday, and were forecast to continue into Thursday evening.

"In the London area, at the airport, we recorded [10 or more] centimetres of snow [as of 5 a.m.], and areas to the east could have had much more," Envrionment Canada meteorologist Shem Willie said.

An additional five centimetres or more of snow was expected to fall throughout the morning, with flurries expected throughout the afternoon.

Provincial police spent the morning responding to dozens upon dozens of collisions across the region.

A number of those collisions closed significant parts of the 400 series highways through southwestern Ontario.

Here's a list of some of those closures in and around the London area:

Issuing a warning from the OPP's West Region headquarters in London, OPP Sgt. Ed Sanchuk said police remained busy into the morning.

On CBC's London Morning, Sanchuk said police were responding to a significant number of calls for vehicles in ditches, as well.

"The roadways are slick, slippery, and snow and ice covered. We are experiencing some minor crashes throughout the West Region, so again, please reduce your speed," Sanchuk said.

At around 4 a.m., the London Fire Department helped a truck driver out of a 30-metre ditch using a rope. The truck went off the road on Highway 401 eastbound near Pond Mills Road. No injuries were reported, and the OPP will be removing the vehicle once the weather improves, officials said.

More to come