Winter lashes out again with freezing rain and winter storm warnings in effect for much of southern Québec.

Environment Canada has forecast significant ice buildup between Ottawa, Gatineau, Montreal and Québec City, with 20 to 40 millimetres of freezing rain expected over a potential 24-hour period.

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The weather agency says the accumulating ice has the potential to disrupt travel, cause power outages and damage property due to its weight.

Meanwhile, in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, winter storm conditions are expected, including strong winds, snow and ice pellets.

Roughly 30 to 40 centimetres of accumulation is expected through Wednesday, into Thursday evening.

As of 3:30 Wednesday morning, Hydro-Québec was already reporting that almost 9,000 addresses were without power.