Heavy Winds blowing throughout Southern Ontario

The winds have been picking up in Hamilton throughout the afternoon.

Nothing outside is safe from the powerful gusts, especially hydro lines. Representatives from Alectra Utilities say wind over 80 kms an hour mean the lines could be damaged just from the force.

Which means power outages are in the forecast. If you see a downed line, stay away and call 911 immediately.

You can track the outages in Hamilton and St. Catharines on the Alectra Utilities website.

Flashlights, charged cellphones, blankets, food for you and your pets, as well as first aid kits and medicine. Those are just some items Alectra utilities recommends people to have on hand for power outages.

The wind was also causing major cancellations at Pearson International Airport. By noon, 16% of all flights had been cancelled. Many airlines cancelling this morning, in anticipation of the dangerous winds.

Police advising people to avoid all unnecessary travel until the wind dies down.