Residents in Gravenhurst, Ontario, are digging out from deep snow and waiting for electricity to return on January 26, 2026, as a massive winter storm continues to disrupt the community. Environment Canada issued a yellow-level warning calling for additional snowfall amounts of 15 to 25 centimetres, but many residents reported localized totals of up to about 40 centimetres in parts of town. The storm has left hundreds of homes without power — utility updates and local reporting put the number of affected customers in the several hundreds to more than 1,000 residents — and made driving dangerous across the Muskoka region.
Heavy, wet snow led to tree limbs falling onto both Hydro One supply lines and local Elexicon Energy distribution equipment, contributing to widespread outages. Elexicon Energy is working to restore service, but some residents in rural areas are still waiting for power. The Town of Gravenhurst maintained a “Significant Weather Event” status, suspending standard road-clearing timelines as crews work to clear unprecedented accumulations and reopen streets.
School buses were cancelled again on Monday — the fifth consecutive day of cancellations in some Trillium Lakelands District School Board zones. Private forecasters at Instant Weather had warned the lake-effect snow squalls would create whiteout conditions and make travel difficult. Mayor Heidi Lorenz urged residents to “stay at home if you can” to give work crews space to fix downed lines and clear the streets.
Residents compared the storm to the December 2024 event, when Gravenhurst declared a state of emergency after about 140 centimetres of snowfall. Local officials continue to monitor conditions and coordinate restoration and public-safety efforts as sub-zero temperatures persist.
