Extreme Winter Weather Conditions Continue in South-Western Ontario

The poor weather conditions continue in South-Western Ontario at least until February 9th as snow squalls and storm systems, accompanied by usually cold temperatures, reek havoc on roadways. The extreme conditions began on approximately January 14, 2026 and have not let up since. Such a long period of cold and snow are unusual, even for this area which expects to see poor conditions every winter. Many jurisdictions are running out of road salt even though the world’s largest salt mine is located in the region at Goderich, Ontario.

Snow being plowed against roadside barriers has led to several instances of vehicles “flying” over the barriers when out-of-control, leading police to defend the plowing while blaming drivers. Regardless of who is at fault, winter is playing a large role.

Environment Canada was forecasting low temperatures of -25 Celsius for early Sunday morning, February 8th, but the actual low was only about -18 Celsius, making it sound almost balmy. Yet temperatures are forecast for -20 Celsius again for Monday morning. These temperatures are finally expected to moderate for Tuesday, February 10th.

While the number of collisions generally tend to increase in such winter conditions the actual number of serious and fatal collisions is historically reduced. One theory for this is that drivers generally cannot generate enough speed in snowy conditions and the slippery surfaces lead to many fender-bender type events. There are, of course, those instances where a loss-of-control occurs and a vehicle slides into the path of another, sometimes leading to serious or fatal consequences. Poor visibility is also a contributing factor especially on expressways where a traffic slow-down occurs without sufficient warning to oncoming drivers approaching from the rear. This is often a problem with heavy vehicles that either collide with stopped traffic or are rear-ended while slowing or being stopped on an expressway.

After a collision occurs on an expressway the danger does not end there. Persons do not recognize their danger as other vehicles approaching the area become involved in subsequent collisions. There are differing schools of thought as to how to avoid this danger. Some claim that the best approach is to remain in your vehicle which is OK if you can guarantee that your vehicle will not be struck by a high-speed tractor-trailer. Similarly stepping out of your vehicle to look around after your collision can be a recipe for disaster due to the subsequent collisions that often occur. If you step out of your vehicle depart as far away as possible from the roadway and think about how subsequent impacts may project vehicles into where you are standing. There is no all-knowing instruction that can lead you to safety as every collision sequence is unique, but there is some general advice that can improve your chances. If you can, climb over any barrier that separates you from traffic. Try to move upstream from the approaching traffic and try to move as far in a lateral direction away from the lanes of traffic. Being visible, such as wearing proper reflective clothing, or carrying a flash-light or lantern may be of some help but not always when vehicles are colliding in your midst. The bottom line is, think, then react appropriately and quickly.