After a weekend storm brought the city to its knees with freezing rain pellets and gusting winds causing hundreds of collisions and power outtages, Toronto is now under a flood watch.

The ice storm caused hundreds of collisions and flight cancellations and left almost 20,000 people without power this weekend. On Sunday afternoon, Environment Canada issued a wind warning, for winds gusting up to 100 km/h, along with a freezing rain and heavy rainfall warning.

Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt warned Monday morning commuters to stay alert and slow down as there’s a possibility of flooding with rainfall totalling 25 to 35 mm forecast into Monday afternoon.

“Old man winter is not done with us yet, but I think we’re going to get to the upper hand over the next couple of days. Hopefully this will be the last blast of winter we see over the next couple of days,” said Schmidt.

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The city has been under a flood watch since Saturday and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) said the main time for a concern of flooding is Sunday night into Monday. TRCA is warning people to be cautious around bodies of water and when driving in low-lying areas such as underpasses and near the shoreline.

After two days of freezing rain and ice pellets that left roads and sidewalks slippery and treacherous, Schmidt said this weekend was “crazy” as police responded to more than 1,400 collisions in the GTA and surrounding areas.

“People are losing control very often and they panic when they hit the snow, they aggressively swerve or steer and they lose control,” said Schmidt, adding that most of the collisions were minor fender-benders.

Many streets were not plowed this weekend, Mayor John Tory said at a Sunday media briefing, because the temperature is forecast to rise well above freezing this week.

“If you plow all of that slush onto the side of the road, it dramatically increases the chances of flooding later on,” Tory said, adding the decision to limit plowing was a judgment call made with a “long view in mind,” and that the city had contingency funds to pay for extra plowing if it was needed.

Tory said the city’s priority would be salting roads, which lessens slippery conditions without boosting the chances of flooding. He said that despite slowdowns on the roads, the city was dealing with weather conditions.

Toronto police said they responded to more than 200 collisions in the city this weekend, which is higher than normal due to the storm.

Toronto police also reported downed trees and power lines, which caused multiple power outages throughout the city, and on Sunday evening almost 20,000 people were without power, according to Toronto Hydro.

Hydro One said crews were busy restoring power to more than 7,000 customers on Saturday and more than 42,000 customers on Sunday across southern Ontario.

Toronto’s Pearson Airport experienced significant delays and hundreds of cancellations because of the rain and ice pellets. On Saturday there were about 250 cancellations and as of Sunday evening there were about 350.

TTC riders also experienced delays and route diversions this weekend due to the storm, and this week’s rain could cause even more. On Sunday evening, service on the Scarborough RT was shut down due to icing on the rails. Service was also suspended from Victoria Park to Kennedy Station due to power issues at Warden Station.

To battle the storm, the agency applied antifreeze to overhead streetcar wires and track switches and outfitted every fifth streetcar’s trolley poles with “sliders” to clear away ice and snow.

The storm also dampened Torontonian’s festivities, such as celebrations for the Toronto Raptors’ return to the NBA playoffs on Saturday. Hundreds of fans usually transform the area outside the Air Canada Centre into “Jurassic Park” during playoff games, but Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment issued an advisory Saturday afternoon saying the party had been cancelled. The square was also closed for the Toronto Maple Leafs’ playoff game against the Boston Bruins Saturday night.

Closures this weekend included the Toronto Zoo, which noted that it was focusing on the “care, health and safety of (its) animals.” As well, some universities and colleges shut down, with Ryerson University cancelling their Saturday afternoon exams.

Meteorologist Geoff Coulson says that this weather is unusual for April.

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“To look out my window and see white out there, isn’t something we see very often in Toronto during April,” he said. “This freezing rain should gradually change to rain by the evening, though, but will remain steady.”

Environment Canada says the lowest temperature recorded in Toronto on April 15 was -3 C in 2016, and the highest was 17.8 C in 2015. The agency is also advising people to clear drainage basins of ice buildup to prevent basement flooding. Residents in low-lying areas are being warned of possible localized flooding.

Hopefully this is the last of winter’s grip on Toronto as the forecast looks slightly warmer for the coming week. The rain will continue into Monday afternoon with a daytime high of 9 C and a UV index of five, which is moderate. The rest of the week temperatures are forecast to be above zero temperatures with a mix of sun and cloud along with a chance of light rain or flurries.

With files from Alexandra Jones, Bryann Aguilar and The Canadian Press

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