Environment Canada issues weather alert for Hamilton region

Environment Canada issued a weather and travel alert earlier ahead of heavy snowfall which swept across the Golden Horseshoe on Thursday.

The alert was issued shortly before 12 p.m. Thursday and is calling for a period of heavy snow with wind gusts of up to 70 km/h.

“The combination of these strong winds and the preceding fresh snowfall may lead to localized reduced visibility in blowing snow in rural areas,” reads part of the weather statement.

The federal weather agency said that the majority of the snow was expected to fall within a short span of a few hours and travel was challenging throughout the Hamilton, Halton and Niagara regions Thursday afternoon.

READ MORE: Flood warnings overtake usual snowfall records around Hamilton area

In Hamilton the Ontario Provincial Police closed Highway 6 northbound between Highway 403 and Clappison’s corners after multiple transport trucks became stuck on the hill, causing major delays in the area.

Some drivers say they weren’t expecting the snow because they thought winter was over.

This is the first big snowfall across the region since the start of the season.

With the winter travel advisory in place for parts of Ontario, police are reminding drivers to reduce their speed, avoid distractions and steer gently to avoid losing control of their vehicles.