Ontario could be hit hard by a major snowstorm this week, with some weather forecasts predicting that areas of the province could be digging out from upwards of 40 centimetres of snow by the weekend. Meanwhile, the ECMWF (European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecast) calls for a much more intense local snowfall, exceeding 30 centimetres in some areas. On the ECMWF model, some parts of the region are expected to be hit with shocking totals approaching 47 centimetres. Downsides include higher operating costs, but the European system has clear advantages over the GFS system popular in Canada. If the huge dump of snow forecast does indeed strike Toronto, the resulting chaos on the roads could be compounded by a planned TTC closure affecting subway service this weekend.