Freezing rain leads to power outages in GTA

Freezing rain across southern Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces has caused power outages and has prompted weather warnings.

More than 100,000 hydro customers across southwest Ontario were without power late Thursday night as repair crews tried to stay ahead of outages due to freezing rain that coated wires and tree branches with ice.

• Toronto tweets icy images after freezing rain blankets city

Hydro One's online outage map shows about 88,000 customers without power.

PowerStream, which services communities north of Toronto, was working to restore power to some 18,000 residents and businesses.

Environment Canada says they're expecting freezing rain and high winds to continue through Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, freezing rain warnings have been issued for parts of Quebec and Atlantic Canada as the storm tracks east.

Environment Canada says significant ice build up and long-lasting periods of freezing rain are anticipated Friday in northern New Brunswick, with a mix of freezing rain, ice pellets and snow expected elsewhere in the province.

Northern Nova Scotia and P.E.I. can also expect freezing rain before the low-pressure system moves towards Newfoundland.

The national weather forecaster says parts of Newfoundland can expect a period of freezing rain of up to six hours before tapering off Saturday morning.

The icy weather meant an extra-long weekend for thousands of students across southern Ontario heading into Easter weekend.

Classes and buses were cancelled at three southern Ontario school boards Thursday, while many others across the province cancelled buses but left schools open.