Ontario School bus Cancellations Expected on Tuesday due to “Ice Day” Forecast
Through the overnight hours, freezing drizzle continues to be a possibility following Monday’s Forecast freezing rain across Central and Eastern Ontario.
It has been forecast that freezing drizzle will continue through early Tuesday morning, according to Environment Canada.
Untreated surfaces are likely to stay icy into the morning with overnight temperatures hovering near freezing.
Therefore, many school districts, particularly those in rural areas, will cancel school bus services on Tuesday morning because of the hazardous driving conditions.
Rural Eastern Ontario has the highest probability of cancellations, as freezing drizzle is still expected at the time decisions are made. It is predicted that “ice days” will occur in these areas 90% of the time.
School cancellations in urban areas are more conservative, so the likelihood of cancelation is slightly lower at 75%. It is still reasonable to expect some cancellations due to the overnight icing, however.
Parry Sound and North Bay, in Central Ontario, have the highest cancellation rate at 90%.
Buses are almost certain to be cancelled in this area because of the lingering freezing drizzle and the high weather-sensitivity of the school board.
Read Also: Snowfall of up to 30 cm is Possible due to Winter Storm
Muskoka, Haliburton, and Kawartha Lakes are facing an uncertain future. Temperatures remain near freezing through the night, but the freezing drizzle should taper off shortly after midnight.
Due to Monday’s disastrous experience with buses in some areas, Trillium Lakelands is likely to exercise more caution on Tuesday to avoid similar problems.
Among these regions, cancellations are less likely to occur in the south and west.
Ice conditions are likely to be mitigated by warming temperatures overnight, which will end freezing drizzle earlier in the evening.
In most other areas, bus services are unlikely to be disrupted Tuesday, despite cancellations not being entirely ruled out — particularly in Simcoe County.
Read Also: Southern Ontario Faces an icy Start to the Week with Prolonged Freezing Rain
