More than 300 vehicle crashes were reported on highways in the Greater Toronto Area early Sunday afternoon after much of the area was hit by up to 15 cm of snow.

More than 60 collisions were being investigated at the same time at around 1:30 p.m., said Ontario Provincial Police Sgt. Kerry Schmidt.

“Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow,” read a warning issued by Environment Canada just before 1 p.m.

“If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance.”

Toronto police Const. David Hopkinson said many of the crashes in the city have been single-vehicle incidents where weather was likely a factor. He advised drivers to be cautious and watch their speed, as roads are slippery and the snow reduced visibility.

Earlier in the day, a quarter of flights out of Pearson airport were cancelled while Billy Bishop also reported numerous cancellations and delays.

A tweet from Pearson warned travellers of difficulties and advised anyone flying Sunday to check their flight status before heading to the airport.

The GTA woke up to a fresh layer of powder already Sunday morning, as predicted by Environment Canada the night before. About 10 cm had already fallen before 11 a.m., Environment Canada said.

All of Toronto’s 200 salting trucks were out on the roads Sunday morning, with crews working to plow roads and bike lanes, the city said. Information on what areas have been covered is available on the City of Toronto website.

The snow is expected to continue into the evening, with another 5 cm expected before the end of the day. Winds may also pick up and cause blowing snow later Sunday, said a special weather statement from Environment Canada.

The city may see flurries overnight and over the next few days, Environment Canada said. Temperatures are expected to say fairly mild, with Sunday forecast at 1 C and Monday at minus 2 C. By mid-week, that’s expected to rise as high as 3 C.

With files from Brennan Doherty.

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