Snow blowing off lakes Superior and Huron has closed a stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway, knocked out power and buried some communities under nearly a metre of snow.

A blast of winter weather delivered a “rude awakening” to parts of Ontario, an Environment Canada meteorologist said, as some communities dug out from nearly a metre of snow on Saturday with more to come.

An ongoing storm is continuing to blanket areas in cottage country on Saturday, but the areas around Toronto are being spared from the snowfall.