Freezing rain possible in Toronto Friday, Saturday nights as Environment Canada revises forecast

Freezing rain is a possibility for Toronto on Friday and Saturday nights, Environment Canada says in an updated special statement.

There could be "ice accretions" of three to five millimetres, according to the federal weather agency, which revised its forecast on Thursday evening.

Environment Canada says the forecast now calls for precipitation to start as rain in Toronto on Friday afternoon. That rain will continue through the evening and night as temperatures hover slightly above zero.

"Freezing rain remains possible should temperatures end up being slightly cooler," the federal weather agency says.

If there is lingering precipitation early Saturday, it will turn to showers as winds become southwesterly and temperatures begin to rise.

Earlier on Thursday, however, Environment Canada had warned that a "potent" spring ice storm could hit a huge swath of Ontario, including Toronto, starting Friday evening and extending into Monday.

The weather agency had warned that ice accretions could lead to potential utility outages, slippery roads and broken tree branches. 

OPP spokesperson Kerry Schmidt, for his part, had said in a video statement on X, formerly Twitter, that drivers should carry their ice scrapers this weekend and drive according to the conditions.