Cold, wet Thursday in T.O. — layer up and plan around the rain

Morning, T.O. It's a grey, damp one out there: 5°C with light rain, and it's noticeably colder than the last few days, so the good jacket comes out today. The sun won't be much of a factor, UV is sitting at 1.0, but the sky will be doing its own thing. Sunset is at 4:55 PM, so you're looking at about 9 hours and 48 minutes of daylight, which means if you're heading out after work, you'll be doing it in the dark. Plan your errands and any walks for the daylight window, and keep an umbrella close.

For getting around, the big one to know about is the Gardiner. There's a closure on the eastbound Lower Jarvis Ramp, about 39 metres east of the Gardiner, running out to Lake Shore Blvd E, and a westbound Lakeshore closure just west of the Gardiner. If your commute usually takes you through that stretch, give yourself extra time or look at surface streets. Lower Jarvis is also closed from just south of the CPR tracks down to Wilton, and Old Weston Road is shut from Lane N Davenport east to Davenport Rd. Wet pavement plus detours is never a good combo, so leave a little earlier than you normally would.

A couple of things on the local radar. Toronto police have frozen new community safety hubs while they set measures for the four they currently run, which is a story to keep an eye on as the details come out. Over in Scarborough, a woman was struck by a vehicle and taken to hospital with serious injuries, so drivers and pedestrians alike, take it slow and watch those crosswalks in the rain. Out in Woodside Square, a watermain break sent discoloured water into Highland Creek, which is worth knowing if you're near the creek or on the Scarborough side. And at the provincial and federal level, Joly is set to meet in Toronto with Stellantis, the union and the Ontario minister, and her office says she didn't meet Roshel before the Stellantis Brampton deal. Politics aside, it's a big week for auto jobs.

When it comes to eating, it's a good day for something warm and indoors. Two new spots worth a look are Doc's Green Door Lounge and Shinji, both with interiors that do a lot of the talking. If you're in the mood for a bit of a treat, Salon du Chocolat comes to town November 19 to 22 with chocolate runway shows and tastings, so start planning now. And a self-serve wine bar is coming to King West in January, which is one to bookmark.

Tonight, the Leafs fan crowd has a night at Scotiabank Arena with Fanboni at 7:00 PM, a good excuse to head downtown in the rain and make it an event. If you've got kids, Yorkdale's Immersive Santa Experience runs tonight starting at 4:00 PM, with sessions every 15 minutes through 4:45, and it's indoors, so the weather won't matter. Casa Loma is also running general admission from 9:30 this morning if you want a daytime outing. The weekend looks like more of the same, so grab a good series and settle in if the rain keeps going.

Stay dry out there, and drive like your neighbours are walking. See you around the 6ix.