Ottawa

Blowing snow leads to travel advisory in Kingston, Belleville

Snow whipping off Lake Ontario could make for dangerous driving around Kingston and Belleville Thursday, said Environment Canada. The agency asks people to consider changing travel plans.

Environment Canada says to consider changing travel plans

Blowing snow on a highway on a midwinter day.
Blowing snow on Highway 401 in Belleville around 9:45 a.m. on Thursday. (MTO)

Snow whipping off Lake Ontario could make for dangerous driving around Kingston and Belleville Thursday, according to Environment Canada. 

The agency has issued a winter weather travel advisory, asking people to avoid travel if possible around Kingston and Prince Edward County and to consider changing travel plans in Belleville and Quinte West.

The border between the two alerts is roughly Belleville city limits.

Timing is at play with the two slightly different messages: blowing snow is expected to end around Belleville in early afternoon and last until early evening closer to Kingston, according to the forecast.

Five to 10 centimetres of snow could fall, including two to four centimetres in an hour. School buses have been cancelled near Lake Ontario.

Snow blows across a highway without much snow buildup.
Blowing snow across Highway 401 in Kingston, Ont., on Jan. 16, 2025. (MTO)

The alerts don't go as far east as Gananoque or north to Highway 7.

Kingston is looking at a high of –3 C Thursday with a wind chill making it feel like –14. Gusts could reach 50 kilometres an hour.

Ottawa's forecast is a few flurries and high of –5 C.