Winter weather arrives in parts of Canada on busiest travel day of the year

TORONTO – Winter weather conditions in parts of Canada could cause major delays for thousands travelling to their holiday destination.

With Christmas just a few days away, Toronto Pearson International Airport is expected to see 105,000 travellers come through today alone on what is being called its busiest travel day of the year.

An estimated two million people will pass through Pearson over the holiday season.

Those travelling are asked to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

Ontario and Quebec

Forecasters are predicting some nasty weather for parts of Ontario Friday as a low pressure system from the U.S. tracks its way north.

Environment Canada has issued a warning for the Ottawa region saying residents should brace for up to 20 centimetres of snow today and can expect low visibility due to blowing snow.

Weather warnings are also in effect for Haliburton, Parry Sound - Muskoka, Prescott and Russell and Smiths Falls areas.

And a special weather statement says a cold northwesterly flow off the Great Lakes could bring up to 10 centimetres of snow tonight to areas near Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay.

Motorists are being advised to adjust travel plans accordingly as driving conditions are expected to be hazardous in many regions.

Meanwhile, Environment Canada also has winter storm warnings out for Sudbury, Timmins and North Bay, predicting snow, blowing snow and chilly temperatures.

The agency says the traditional snow belt areas can expect heavier snow and possibly snow squalls could develop tonight and last into tomorrow.

It says most of the bad weather is expected to taper off by Saturday as the system moves east across Quebec.

Atlantic Canada
N.B. Power workers had fixed all but a few scattered power outages overnight, but three new ones in the Fredericton-area that began around 5 o'clock this morning affected more than 1,200 homes and businesses.

That figure was knocked down to about 500 by 8 o'clock when new power outages were reported in Clark's Corner.

Outages were also reported in the Sussex and Woodstock areas today.

At one point overnight on Wednesday, the number of outages approached 10,000 province-wide as ice and wet snow weighed down power lines and nearby trees.

Parts of New Brunswick were hit with heavy snowfall earlier this week.

In the United States
The first major Midwest snowstorm in the U.S. of the season led airlines to cancel more than 1,000 flights Thursday, most of them in Chicago. But on Friday, only about 50 flights at Chicago's two major airports were cancelled.

High winds were blamed for airport delays in the New York City area, with three-hour waits anticipated at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and La Guardia Airport in New York.

The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for New York City, forecasting gusts of up to 96 kilometres per hour.

In Iowa, two people were killed and seven injured Thursday in a 25-vehicle highway pileup. There were at least two traffic deaths each in Nebraska and Wisconsin and one in Kansas.

In Utah, a woman who tried to walk for help after her car became stuck in snow died Tuesday night.

VIDEO: A major storm ripped across the U.S. today, making holiday travel a challenge for thousands of people across North America. Brian Mooar reports. (Dec. 20)