Toronto hit by the first severe winter snow storm

The snowfall which was mild in the morning of Dec. 11 soon increased in intensity in the afternoon and evening and all the buildings, house tops, tree tops as well as roads were covered with blankets of snow.

The cars moved slowly along the highways where the wet conditions and slippery roads posed significant risks to the traffic.

The commuters had been advised to prepare themselves ahead of time.

But the new immigrants had not equipped themselves fully to cope up with the severe snow storm.

For the new immigrants in Toronto it was the first winter snow storm.

Gopal, our new tenant had moved to Canada from India just three months back.

He did not own the car and was worried how he would go to work the following morning.

Our previous tenant Satpal who migrated to Canada from India for about a year ago owned the car. He was worried how he will drive to work since he was going to drive in the snow for the first time in his life.

Satpal’s 4-year old daughter Shruti on the other hand who goes to school by transit was very excited because she would have a chance to play on the snow at school.

But Shruti was disappointed as she heard this morning that the school buses to her school had been cancelled because of the slippery road conditions.

The snow storm had abated in the morning but the roads were in very bad conditions.

The main roads had been cleared by the city crew during the night leaving the snow on the sides of the road near the side walks.

The streets had not been cleared by the Toronto city crew.

They only came around 10:30 Dec. 12 in the Scarborough area at McCowan and Brimorton Drive.

I left for my gymnastic class at about 9 a.m. in morning and had to steer the car through the slush.

There were huge hills of snow collected on the side of the fitness club I go to.

The temperature was above freezing point and the snow began to melt making the road conditions more dangerous.

People in the drive ways were seen using the snow removals to put aside the snow.

The people who did not have the garage to park their cars saw their cars fully covered with snow and had to use the snow removal equipment to remove the snow from the car.

(Reporting and Photographs by Asha Bajaj)