Plows, salt trucks all set for wintry blast in Toronto

The city is ready to unleash its fleet of plows and salt trucks to tackle an imminent winter storm that is expected to bringamix of snow, rain and ice pellets to Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.

Salts trucks are out on all city roadways as the snow started to fall this evening.

Environment Canada advises that snow is expected to develop quickly and become heavy.

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The plows will be sent to expressways if two centimetres of snow falls, according to the city.If five centimetres fall, plows will clear main roads and continue to clear the roadways for the duration of the storm. Environment Canada is anticipating five to 10 centimetres of snow for Toronto before it changes to ice pellets after midnight.

"If you're out there driving, take your time," saidTrevor Tenn, manager of road operations for the city's transportation services department.

Tenncautioned against weaving in between snow plows and salt trucks that are workingon roadways.

"If you see the salt trucks and the road plows out there, pleasestay behind them," he said.

"Try notto go in between them. It'svery unsafe."

Plows will be sent to local roads when the snowfallends andif snow accumulation reaches eight centimetres, the city says. It will clear snow from busy sidewalks and bus routes after two centimetres of snow falls.

The city also reminds residents to clear sidewalks within 12 hours of the storm.

Toronto Hydro says it is calling in extra crews and staff in its control room to handle calls for the overnight.