Now all we have to worry about is the wind and the flurries.
While it will still be soggy around the city Friday and into Saturday, Environment Canada confirms the worst of the winter wallop has moved out of the area.
We may still see some flurries and the real problem could be high winds, which will gust anywhere from 50-80 kilometres overnight.
Those breezes have already left
umbrellas virtually useless in some wind tunnel parts of town, and many people simply decided to get wet rather than allow their protection to be continually turned inside out - or broken.
The sun managed to break through by Friday afternoon. But that was only after more than 30 millimetres of rain - over an inch - fell on the GTA. And as temperatures continue to decline, whatever liquid is left could turn solid in the form of snow - although there isn't likely to be any local accumulation.
"We had freezing rain warnings out for northeast and west of Toronto, and we're ending most of those now because the freezing rain is pretty much now just from Barrie to Parry Sound ...but we have brought in a series of wind warnings so that we have most of southwestern Ontario under a wind warning," relates Environment Canada's Sharon Jeffers.
What constitutes a wind warning?
"We need steady 60 kilometre an hour winds and the gusts have to be up to 90 kilometres an hour. So Toronto isn't included in the warning because the winds will be just about 10 kilometres an hour under that."
The change follows a wild morning that ushered in December with drenching rains in the city.
But we got off easy.
Areas in the 905 just north of Toronto were hard hit, with snow, freezing rain and even flooding in some areas. Cottage country residents could get blasted with up to 30 centimetres of snow.
The bad weather has left tree limbs and power lines down in many areas and thousands of people across the province are braving the storm in the dark.
"We're looking at damage to our distribution system basically right across southern Ontario, right from the Windsor area down in the southwest right across to the Ottawa area," advises Hydro One's Al Manchee. "Close to 50,000 customers are without power on our system right now."
Manchee reminds those affected to keep away from broken wires, because they could pack quite a jolt. Contact your local utility if you come across one of them.
"This is a nasty storm," he concludes. "It came a little late this year. Normally we see these storms in November, but it came early December, and we're coping with it as best we can."
And though T.O. was mostly spared, j
ust about everyone who was out in it was practicing that infamous Canadian ritual - complaining about the weather.
"I had to go to court this morning and run across the street and basically look like a drowned rat," gripes lawyer Carol Delgado.
The rain had another effect besides spoiling hairdos. So much fell in so short a time that creeks and rivers couldn't handle the onslaught. That's prompted The Toronto Conservation Authority to issue a safety alert about the dangers of high water.
"This is the time when people don't realize you go in that water and your ability to grab something and pull yourself out is short lived because of the extreme cold," warns Sgt. Doug Harlock of the Toronto Police Marine Unit.
This blast of winter comes just 48 hours after much of the province basked in near record setting temperatures. On Wednesday, our high was 15C.
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For current traffic conditions,
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Environment Canada special weather warnings
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How is it where you are?
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U.S. hit hard by storm
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What are you going to get?
The weather you'll endure on the first day of December depends a lot on where you are. Here's a brief overview from Environment Canada.
Toronto and most of the GTA
Mostly rain. Depending on temperature fluctuations, that could be mixed with flurries or ice pellets at times. We may dodge the worst of this weather bullet, but we won't escape it entirely. There could be some strong winds blowing through by nightfall.
Freezing rain warnings
Where:
Durham
Northern Durham Region
Orangeville
Uxbridge
Also:
Alexandria
Angus
Apsley
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Balsalm Lake Park
Bannockburn
Barrie
Beaverton
Bon Echo Park
Bracebridge
Brockville
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Charleston Lake
Coldwater
Collingwood
Cornwall
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Eastern Lanark County
Fenelon Falls
Ganonoque
Gatineau
Grand Valley
Gravenhurst
Haliburton
Hillsdale
Lagoon City
Lakesfield
Lancaster
Lindsay
Long Sault
Kaladar
Kanata
Kemptville
Kitchener
Madoc
Mallorytown
Mansfield
Maxville
Merrickville
Metcalfe
Midland
Minden
Morrisburg
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New Tecumseth
Newington
North Kawartha Lakes
Northern Dufferin County
Northern Peterborough County
Orillia
Orleans
Orr Lake
Ottawa
Owen Sound
Perth
Peterborough
Plevna
Port Carling
Port Severn
Prescott
Russell
Richmond
Sharbot Lake
Shelburne
Smith's Falls
South Frontenac
Southern Dufferin County
Southern Haliburton County
Southern Kawartha Lakes
Southern Peterborough County
Stirling
Syndenham
Tamworth
Tweed
Washago
Western Lanark County
Westport
Winchester
Wolford
Woodview
What:
Freezing rain warning in effect. Ice pellets also possible. As much as 20 millimetres may fall in some areas. Because the roads are warm, there may not be as much ice accretion on major routes, but Environment Canada is warning those under a freezing rain warning to beware of accumulations on trees, power lines, parked cars and "any exposed object".
When:
Should end in the afternoon or evening.
Wind Warning
Where:
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Oakville
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Bluewater
Bran
Burlington
Chatham-Kent
Caledonia
Dehli
Dunnville
Elgin
Essex
Grimsby
Goderich
Haldimand
Hamilton
Lambton
Middlesex
Mitchell
Niagara Falls
Norfolk
Northern Niagara Region
Oxford
Picton
Saint Catharines
Sands Park
Sarnia
Simcoe
Stratford
Southern Huron County
Southern Niagara Region
Southern Perth County
Welland
Windsor
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What:
Wind warning in effect. Gusts could reach the damaging range between 60 and 90 kilometres.
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When:
Should reach a peak in the evening and overnight hours.
Snowfall Warning:
Mostly restricted to the northern areas. Could last into the evening or beyond.
Where:
Bayfield Inlet
Baysville
Bruce Peninsula
Burk's Falls
Cobden
Deep River
Dunchurch
Eastern Algonquin Park
Fort Irwin
Huntsville
Killbear Park
Lake of Two Rivers
North Bay
Northern Haliburton County
Oxtongue Lake
Parry Sound
Petawawa
Pembroke
Rosseau
Sauble Beach
South River
Tobermory
Western Algonquin Park
Whitney
What:
As much as 25 centimetres of snow could fall in some areas, and strong winds could be blowing it around, making for a messy drive.
Winter Storm Warning
Where:
Arnprior
Bancroft
Barry's Bay
Calabogie
Denbigh
Hastings
Killaloe
Renfrew
What:
Could get a mix of just about everything. Snow, freezing rain, ice pellets could fall much of the day. Accumulations of snow could be 10-15 centimetres before it changes over to freezing rain.
When:
Morning and into the afternoon, continues into the evening.