Environment Canada has issued a special cold alert in the GTA this weekend as temperatures are expected to hit -30 with windchill as a winter storm descends on the GTA.

Meteorologists have been closely tracking a major winter system all week that threatens to bring about 30–40 centimetres of snow through Saturday in the GTA.

Baret Winston, head of the homeless shelter in Scarborough, says he expects his facility to be full by Saturday afternoon. “We’re expecting around 60-70 homeless people by the time the storm hits,” Winston says. “We’re making sure nobody’s left out in the cold.”

Snow is expected to start falling during the mid to late morning across the GTA.

Very cold temperatures and winds gusting from 40 to 60 km/h will accompany the snow making it extremely cold with the windchill.

Many people like Derick Axmen who works at a recycling plant will be spending their Saturday indoor with their family bracing for the storm. “It’s going to be very cold on Saturday and my family and I are ready for the storm,” Axeman said. “I was lucky enough get a day off from work.”

Many people are being told to stay off the roads as slippery and icy conditions may cause accidents on the road