Many Ottawa commuters faced blowing snow as they walked to work Wednesday morning. (Emily Chung/CBC)

A snowstorm arrived in eastern Ontario Wednesday as Ottawa's transit strike began its 29th day.

Commuters walking and driving to work in the morning faced blowing snow, poor visibility in some areas and four centimetres of snow on the ground as a storm arrived in eastern Ontario from the lower Great Lakes.

Bursts of heavy snow and 15 to 20 centimetres of accumulation were expected by the evening between Bancroft and Ottawa-Gatineau, Environment Canada predicted.

Another five to 10 centimetres were expected in Ottawa overnight.

However, most of the snow was expected earlier in the day, and conditions were expected to improve by evening, Environment Canada said.

Police reported more than a dozen collisions in Ottawa, and the city's traffic control centre reported heavy traffic throughout the city, but Linda Quinton seemed calm as she pulled into a downtown parking lot before work.

"It was slow going but as long as you're careful, it's a safe drive in," she said.

Mitch Longtin, whose vehicle has four-wheel drive, said he's originally from Ottawa and not bothered by the snow. But he wasn't sure about other drivers, especially those who usually rely on transit.

"A lot of people who take the bus, take the bus because they don't know how to drive," he said. "You just got to watch out for each other, that's all."

About 2,300 transit drivers, dispatchers and maintenance workers walked off the job on Dec. 10. The union has said the city's new scheduling proposal is the main issue of disagreement between the two sides.

Union members are scheduled to vote on the city's latest offer Thursday, as ordered by the federal government after a request from the city.