It was a slow, slippery commute across parts of southwestern Ontario on Thursday morning.
Black ice turned roads into skating rinks and sent numerous vehicles into the ditch, particularly on Highway 401 and 402.
“The roads look wet but they are covered in ice. We have many vehicles that have gone off the road at this time,” West Region OPP tweeted.
Conditions got so bad police were forced to close the westbound 402 between Colonel Talbot Road and Lambton County just before 8 a.m. There is no indication when the stretch of highway west of London will be reopened.
A jackknifed tractor trailer also led to the westbound lanes of the 401 at Putnam Road being shut down just after 7 a.m.
Drivers are advised to slow down and leave extra space between their vehicle and the one in front.
School buses in Middlesex, Oxford, and Elgin counties were cancelled for a second straight day.
The poor road conditions are the result of a significant winter storm that moved through the region Wednesday. It dumped roughly 10 cm of snow after changing from rain when temperatures dropped back below freezing.
A winter weather travel advisory from Environment Canada is in effect Thursday for London, Middlesex County, and Oxford County. The national weather agency warns the snow will begin to fall again across the region around noon. An additional 4 to 8 cm is expected by the evening.
#MiddlesexOPP have closed #Hwy402 westbound from Col. Talbot to @CountyofLambton due to unsafe road conditions. Unknown length of time until it can be opened again. ^jh
— OPP West Region (@OPP_WR) February 3, 2022
