Toronto Weekend Winter Storm: Record Snow Buries City
If you tried to get anywhere this past weekend in the Greater Toronto Area, you already know the city got buried. Not just a quick dusting—the kind of snowfall that makes shovelling feel pointless before you finish your driveway. Toronto Pearson Airport recorded its highest single-day snowfall in nearly 90 years of record-keeping, and the ripple effects are still being felt at terminals, on roads, and in backyards across the city.
Snowfall Amount: 46–56 cm · Record Broken: Highest daily at Pearson Airport · Date: January 25–26, 2026 · Location: Toronto and Greater Toronto Area · Impact: 560+ flights cancelled
Quick snapshot
- 46 cm at Pearson Airport on January 25 — the highest single-day snowfall in 89 years of records (TravelTourister)
- 56 cm measured at downtown Toronto City Centre on the same day (TravelTourister)
- 560+ flights cancelled at Pearson, representing about 65% of operations (TravelTourister citing GTAA)
- Whether Scarborough’s reported 65 cm is independently verified or based on unconfirmed estimates
- Exact passenger count beyond GTAA’s estimate of 75,000–100,000 affected
- How much snow fell across specific neighbourhoods versus airport and downtown measurements
- Storm hit January 25, 2026, with record 46 cm recorded by end of day (TravelTourister)
- January 26 brought 146 more cancellations as cleanup continued (TravelTourister)
- Recovery expected to extend into January 28 as crews worked around the clock (TravelTourister)
- Pearson operations reportedly running at half capacity with ongoing delays (YouTube)
- Residents and city crews face the task of moving enormous snow banks as temperatures drop
- Airport officials are working to clear runways while managing stranded travellers
The following table summarizes the key measurements from the storm, showing how this event compares to historical records at Pearson Airport and across the GTA.
| Measurement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Single-Day Snowfall (Pearson) | 46 cm | January 25, 2026 — new record |
| Single-Day Snowfall (Downtown) | 56 cm | Toronto City Centre measurement |
| January 2026 Total (Pearson) | 88.2 cm | Snowiest month since records began in 1937 |
| Previous Single-Day Record | 36.8 cm | January 23, 1966 |
| Pearson Flights Cancelled (Jan 25) | 560+ | 65% of departing operations |
| Pearson Flights Cancelled (Jan 26) | 146 | 32% rate continuing |
| Billy Bishop Flights Cancelled | 30 | January 25 only |
| Vehicle Collisions Reported | 438 | Toronto Police, 24-hour period |
| OPP Incidents | 200+ | Including roughly 150 vehicles in ditches |
| Temperature at Pearson | -12°C | Feeling like -20°C with wind chill |
Is there a snow storm in Toronto, Canada?
There is now. The weekend of January 25–26, 2026, brought a winter storm to the Greater Toronto Area that rewrote the record books. Environment Canada confirmed 46 centimetres of snow fell at Toronto Pearson Airport on January 25 alone — the highest single-day total since the airport began keeping records in 1937. The storm did not discriminate by location: downtown Toronto City Centre recorded 56 centimetres, and the Greater Toronto Area saw amounts ranging from roughly 46 centimetres near the airport to higher totals in outer neighbourhoods.
Current conditions
As of January 27, 2026, cleanup crews at Pearson were working around the clock. Sean Davidson, a spokesperson for the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, said crews had been operating 24/7 since the storm hit. The airport deployed snowplows, dump trucks, and snow melters across five runways and more than 190 gates. Still, operations were running at roughly half capacity with ongoing delays rather than cancellations, indicating the system was recovering but not yet back to normal.
Impacts on travel
The travel disruption was immediate and severe. GTAA reported that 65% of departing flights and 64% of arriving flights over the 24-hour period from January 25 were cancelled — the worst single-day cancellation rate in Pearson history. Billy Bishop Airport, Toronto’s downtown alternative, saw 30 flights cancelled on January 25. The GTAA estimated that 75,000 to 100,000 passengers were affected at Pearson, though this figure remains an approximation pending official confirmation.
Air Canada bore a significant share of the cancellations: more than 200 flights cancelled on January 25 and 117 more on January 26. Total weekend cancellations exceeded 700 flights across the airport system, according to available reports.
Travellers trying to fly in or out of Toronto this weekend faced roughly one-in-three odds at best. The storm created a cascading backlog that airports and airlines are still working through days later.
How much snow did Toronto get yesterday?
The short answer is more than most Torontonians have seen in a single weekend in recent memory. The storm that arrived on January 25 dumped 46 to 56 centimetres across the city depending on where you measured — 46 centimetres at Pearson Airport, 56 centimetres at the downtown City Centre station. In Scarborough and some other outer GTA neighbourhoods, reports suggest totals may have approached 65 centimetres, though those figures have not been independently verified through official channels.
Weekend totals
Looking at the full weekend, Pearson Airport received 88.2 centimetres of total snowfall in January 2026 — making it not just the snowiest January on record, but the snowiest month overall since records began at the airport in 1937. The previous snowiest month was February 2015, with 75 centimetres. January 2026 beat that by more than 13 centimetres. The snowiest January records previously were January 2022 (66.8 cm), 2019 (65.8 cm), 2005 (64.5 cm), and 1999 (63.2 cm) — all now trailing significantly behind this year’s total.
Comparisons to records
The single-day record broken on January 25, 2026 had stood for six decades. The previous record of 36.8 centimetres was set on January 23, 1966. The new record of 46 centimetres exceeds that by 9.2 centimetres — a significant margin for a daily total. Among all historical single-day records at Pearson, other notable events include December 11, 1944 (32.7 cm), March 4, 2008 (28.0 cm), and February 14, 2007 (27.5 cm), all of which the January 2026 storm surpassed by a wide margin.
January 2026 did not just set a daily record — it shattered the monthly record by a margin that places it well above any prior January in nearly 90 years of data. This was not a typical weather event.
Did Toronto get 50 cm of snow?
Yes, and in some places it got considerably more. The widely reported figure of 50 centimetres was cited in visual news coverage and is consistent with the official record of 46 centimetres at Pearson and 56 centimetres downtown — figures that would round to 50 centimetres in casual conversation. YouTube coverage of the storm described “nearly 60 centimetres of snow in parts of the GTA, the largest single-day snowfall in our city’s history.” The actual recorded measurements support that framing, with downtown and Scarborough areas exceeding the 50-centimetre mark.
Measurements
The official Environment Canada measurement of 46 centimetres at Pearson came from the airport’s own weather station and represents the most formally verified figure available. Downtown Toronto City Centre recorded 56 centimetres, which is notably higher and reflects the typical variation between the airport’s lakeside position and the city’s denser core. Scarborough and eastern GTA areas appear to have received locally higher amounts, with reports indicating around 65 centimetres, though these remain less formally documented.
Record context
The storm was described in coverage as a “once-in-a-generation event” rewriting Toronto weather history. Given that the single-day record had stood since 1966 and the monthly record had stood since at least 2015, the description appears apt. The combination of high daily totals, a massive monthly accumulation, and widespread travel disruption marks this as an extreme event even by the standards of a city accustomed to significant winter snowfall.
When was the worst snow storm in Toronto?
It depends on what you measure. By single-day snowfall, the weekend of January 25–26, 2026, now holds the record at 46 centimetres at Pearson Airport — surpassing the previous mark of 36.8 centimetres set on January 23, 1966. By monthly total, January 2026’s 88.2 centimetres at Pearson easily exceeds the previous benchmark of February 2015 (75 cm). By disruption, the 560-plus cancelled flights and tens of thousands of affected passengers represent what GTAA called the worst single-day cancellation rate in the airport’s history.
Past events
The historical record at Pearson stretches back to 1937, and prior to this week, the most significant single-day snowfall events included December 11, 1944 (32.7 cm), March 4, 2008 (28.0 cm), and February 14, 2007 (27.5 cm). For monthly totals, February 2015 (75 cm), March 1999 (73.2 cm), and December 1944 (71.8 cm) held the top positions. The January 2026 storm has now displaced all of them on both daily and monthly metrics.
2026 ranking
By any of these measures, January 2026 belongs at the top of the list. The daily total exceeds any prior recorded event by at least 9.2 centimetres. The monthly total exceeds the previous record by more than 13 centimetres. The only event of comparable historical impact in terms of disruption was the 2013 ice storm, which affected the region differently — causing widespread power outages rather than aviation chaos — but demonstrated that Toronto is no stranger to extreme winter weather.
What this means: The 2026 storm now sits atop every measurable category at Pearson Airport, and its cascading effects on aviation may take days more to fully resolve.
Was Toronto affected by the ice storm?
The January 2026 storm was a snowfall event, not an ice storm. The question arises because Toronto experienced a notoriously severe ice storm in December 2013 that left hundreds of thousands without power for days. That event was fundamentally different from this week’s conditions: freezing rain and ice accumulation brought down trees and power lines across southern Ontario, while this past weekend’s storm produced cold, dry powder that piled up on runways, roads, and rooftops without the same electrical infrastructure damage.
2013 ice storm details
The December 2013 ice storm was a multi-day event driven by alternating periods of freezing rain and ice accumulation. The damage was extensive: downed trees and branches led to widespread power outages affecting more than 600,000 customers in the Toronto area at peak. The storm lasted several days in terms of its impact, with power restoration taking weeks in some areas. The cleanup operation that followed was measured in weeks, not days.
Comparisons
The comparison ends there. The 2026 storm’s primary damage was to schedules — flights, commutes, and daily routines. There is no widespread report of power outages or infrastructure failures comparable to 2013. The challenge now is different: clearing streets and sidewalks made nearly impassable by snow banks, managing the backlog at airports, and dealing with the physical toll on residents who shovelled or cleared driveways in temperatures reaching -12°C with wind chills near -20°C.
The implication: Both storms qualify as extreme events for Toronto, but the 2026 snowfall hit transportation infrastructure while the 2013 ice storm crippled the power grid.
Timeline
The storm arrives with heavy snow. Pearson Airport records 46 cm by end of day — a new single-day record. More than 560 flights cancelled, representing 65% of departing operations. Toronto Police respond to 438 vehicle collisions in 24 hours.
Pearson cancels 146 additional flights (32% rate) as cleanup continues. Billy Bishop Airport remains affected with ongoing cancellations. Ontario Provincial Police report more than 200 storm-related incidents, including roughly 150 vehicles in ditches.
Reports begin circulating covering the weekend’s events. Recovery operations continue at Pearson with crews working around the clock. Operations at roughly half capacity with ongoing delays.
Full recovery expected to extend into this day as crews clear remaining runway and gate areas. City streets and transit still adjusting to accumulated snow.
What we know — and what we don’t
Confirmed
- 46 cm single-day snowfall at Pearson Airport on January 25, 2026 — new record since 1937
- 56 cm at downtown Toronto City Centre
- 88.2 cm total for January 2026 — snowiest month on record
- 560+ flights cancelled at Pearson on January 25
- 65% of departing flights cancelled over 24 hours from January 25
- 30 flights cancelled at Billy Bishop on January 25
- 438 vehicle collisions reported by Toronto Police over 24 hours
- Previous daily record of 36.8 cm set January 23, 1966
Unclear
- Whether Scarborough’s reported 65 cm figure is independently verified
- Exact passenger impact numbers beyond GTAA’s 75,000–100,000 estimate
- Precise snowfall breakdown by neighbourhood beyond airport and downtown stations
- How the cleanup timeline compares to past major events
- Whether the storm’s intensity was forecast with adequate lead time
What people are saying
“About 65 per cent of Pearson International Airport’s departing flights over the next 24 hours and 64 per cent of arriving flights over the next 24 hours were cancelled.”
— Greater Toronto Airports Authority (airport authority)
“It’s been all night, 24/7, crews working around the clock here at Pearson to keep this operation moving.”
— Sean Davidson, GTAA spokesperson
“Nearly 60cm of snow on parts of the GTA, the largest single day snowfall in our city’s history.”
— News report covering the storm (YouTube)
The record-breaking snowfall that hit Toronto on January 25–26, 2026, will be remembered as a defining winter weather event for a generation. For the tens of thousands who had flights cancelled, roads blocked, or driveways that felt like mountains to clear, the storm was not an abstraction. It was a weekend lost. For Pearson Airport and the airlines operating there, the recovery continues into the week — and the new record on the books means anyone living through it will have a number to tell for years.
Related reading: Cheap Flights to Toronto from Edmonton: Deals & Times
The weekend blizzard shattering Pearson Airport’s 89-year record, as explored in detailed storm records update, triggered 560 flight cancellations and hundreds of collisions.
Frequently asked questions
How much snow fell in Toronto this weekend?
Toronto Pearson Airport recorded 46 centimetres on January 25 alone — the highest single-day snowfall since records began in 1937. Downtown Toronto measured 56 centimetres. January 2026 as a whole reached 88.2 centimetres, making it the snowiest month on record at Pearson.
Is Toronto under a winter storm warning now?
This article covers the January 25–26, 2026 event. Current weather warnings would need to be checked with Environment Canada or local meteorological services for up-to-the-minute conditions.
What is Toronto’s snow record?
As of January 25, 2026, the single-day snowfall record at Toronto Pearson Airport is 46 centimetres, surpassing the previous record of 36.8 centimetres set in 1966. The monthly record for any month is now 88.2 centimetres, set in January 2026.
Will there be more snow tomorrow?
For forecasts beyond the scope of this article, check Environment Canada’s official forecast for the Greater Toronto Area. This article focuses on the January 25–26, 2026 storm event.
How does this storm compare to 2013?
The 2013 ice storm was a different type of event — freezing rain and ice accumulation that caused widespread power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of Toronto residents. The 2026 storm was a snowfall event that disrupted aviation and road travel but did not cause comparable infrastructure damage. Both were extreme events, but of different character.
What caused the recent Toronto storm?
The January 2026 storm was a winter storm system producing heavy snowfall driven by cold air and moisture. Environment Canada confirmed the record measurements. For detailed meteorological analysis of the specific system that caused the event, additional meteorological sources would be required.
Are Toronto roads cleared?
City crews have been working around the clock to clear roads, but with the volume of snow that fell — and the snow banks that accumulated — full clearance was an ongoing process into the week of January 27. Residents were advised to check with the City of Toronto for real-time road status updates.
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