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The weather here is extremely bad and I can't sleep with the noise of the winds and debris moving outside. It's pretty bad. One woman was already killed in Toronto and we have yet to get the worst of it. Apparently the worst of the storm will hit about the same time I am driving to work at 4:30 am.

Have a great Tuesday everyone and stay safe!

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"Toronto police say a huge gust of wind caused a business sign to fall apart Monday night, killing a woman with flying debris.

The incident occurred on Keele Street near St. Clair Avenue at around 7:30 p.m. Witnesses said the sign could be seen swaying back and forth.

The woman, who has yet to be publicly identified by police, could be Ontario's first victim of powerful cyclone Sandy, a fall storm carrying hurricane-strength winds and wreaking havoc south of the border.

Sandy made landfall along the coast of southern New Jersey just before 8 p.m. but the storm caused damage and widespread power outages across Toronto before the cyclone even reached its full potential.

About 3,500 customers in Toronto reported being without power, a spokesperson for Toronto Hydro told CP24 at around 8 p.m. By 8:40 p.m., that number jumped to about 6,000 customers. HydroOne reported having 29,000 customers without power across the GTA. A large chunk of those outages were being reported in Chatham and Walkerton.

In Mississauga, 2,000 customers reported being without power. Most of the outages were based in south Mississauga, according to Ennersource.

There are no school closures to report in the GTA but school boards have said they will make their decision Tuesday morning.

Rain and strong winds were also reported but CP24 Meteorologist Chris Potter said the weather conditions would likely worsen overnight.

“The worst of the winds will be experienced across southern Ontario including the GTA between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.,” he said. “Peak wind gusts will be in excess of 90 kilometres an hour in some locations.”

A wind warning remains in effect for parts of eastern and southern Ontario, including the GTA, because wind gusts as fierce as 90 to 100 kilometres-per-hour are possible.

“The winds will gradually decrease during the day tomorrow, however remnants of Sandy will stick around Ontario until the end of the work week,” Potter said.

Powerful wind gusts will be the main threat Monday night and early Tuesday morning, with rainfall a lesser concern as Sandy tracks a little farther to the south, Environment Canada said. In Canada, Ontario will get the worst of the massive storm, largely due to the wind, said Environment Canada warning preparedness meteorologist Geoff Coulson.

On the water, "storm force" winds of 48 to 63 knots are expected on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River.

A total of 20 to 40 millimetres of rain is likely due to Sandy’s effects, especially across the Niagara Region to St. Thomas, Environment Canada said.

Sandy was also causing chaos for air travellers looking to fly out of or into the city. Twenty-eight per cent of today's incoming flights to Pearson International Airport were cancelled, according to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority. Nearly 28 per cent of outgoing flights were also cancelled.

Widespread cancellations were also reported today at Billy Bishop Airport on Toronto's island. Emergency preparedness

Emergency officials encouraged people to prepare an emergency kit, just in case their home loses power for an extended period of time. The kit should contain bottled water, non-perishable food, candles, flashlights and extra batteries, and a radio.

During a power outage, intersections where traffic signals are not working should be treated as all-way stops.

Strong gusts may create dangerous situations outdoors, where the wind threatens to snap trees and blow around or topple loose objects.

People are asked to secure lawn furniture, garbage bins, Halloween decorations and other loose objects on their properties, including their balconies.

The city is asking property owners for their help to prevent street and basement flooding. Myles Currie, the city’s director of transportation services, said his department’s biggest concern is clogged catch basins.

City employees are looking for trouble spots as they patrol neighbourhoods, but Currie asked property owners to help out and clear catch basins and storm drains that are clogged by fallen leaves and other debris.

If possible, people can help out by removing leaves from the street in front of their home, Currie said.

Flood threat

Emergency Management Ontario is warning about the possibility of localized flooding in low-lying areas.

Because of the rainfall, swollen streams will be flowing faster than usual, creating dangerous conditions along riverbanks.

Toronto and Region Conservation is warning people to be cautious near bodies of water. Motorists should avoid driving through flooded low-lying areas and roads, especially at underpasses, the organization said.

Halloween

In addition to warning about heavy rain and strong winds, meteorologists are also talking about the possibility of snow.

Wet snow is possible over the Haliburton and Dundalk Highlands on Monday night, as temperatures flirt with the freezing mark, but accumulations may not be significant, Environment Canada said.

Meanwhile, the storm is expected to weaken later Tuesday and on Halloween, but the weather will remain cool, damp and breezy for trick-or-treaters Wednesday night, according to the special weather statement.

The week is looking fairly miserable, with Environment Canada predicting rain Monday to Friday. Daytime highs will range between 6 C and 13 C.