Saskatoon digs out after winter storm
With less than a month until the official start of spring, Saskatoon residents are digging out after a heavy winter storm that swept across much of west-central Saskatchewan.
The city received around 17 centimetres in the last 24 hours, but high winds made the drifts difficult for drivers.
“We had wind gusts at 80 kilometres per hour at the airport,” said Terri Lang, meteorologist with Environment Canada. “And when you combine falling snow and wind gusts to 80 kilometres per hour, that makes for whiteout conditions that also make for big drifts as well.”
Residents in communities on the outskirts of the city battled heavy snow accumulation on certain streets, leaving multiple vehicles stranded in the road.
School bus service was cancelled for the afternoon at Sylvia Fedoruk School, and City of Saskatoon garbage collection was delayed in some neighbourhoods due to the snow.
The city says it has been working through the night to clear major roadways and top-priority streets, including sidewalks near public buildings. Due to the increased drifts, they have mobilized additional resources including 30 graders, 12 plows and 10 sanders.
The province says highway travel is not recommended in areas including Saskatoon, North Battleford, Prince Albert, Meadow Lake and La Ronge due to icy or slippery sections, reduced visibility and snow drifts.
“We see some areas that are completely scoured clean and other areas where you can’t get a car through because there’s such a big drift,” said Lang. “So that’s what the winds do to the snow.”
The wind does something else to the snow too. Lang says it can affect the shape of the snowflakes, making it easier to pile up in drifts.
“Those dendrites that we're so used to, that snowflake pattern,” she said. “What happens when it blows, it wears off the edges of the snowflakes and they become more like balls. But when it's been blown like that, it gets harder packed because all the nice edges that keep everything in, the air in the snow packs is gone.”
Lang says most Saskatchewan residents are likely happy to see the snow, as it’s been an especially dry winter in the centre of the province.
“I think everyone’s sort of excited to see it,” she said. “We haven’t had any of it this winter, that’s sort of what’s interesting about it. It’s the lack of storms we’ve had this winter.”
Residents may be less excited about the bone-chilling temperatures that the storm has brought, including temperatures colder than minus 30 C with the windchill over the next few nights.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A 'tragedy that can't be measured': North Bay's forever chemical problem is also the rest of Canada's
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Questlove was not happy with Drake and Kendrick Lamar's beef: 'Nobody won the war'
While some may have been excited and/or amused by the diss-track feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, the man many consider to be an elder statesman of hip-hop appears less than enthused about it.
Trump heading to Jersey Shore to rally 'mega crowd' in weekend break from hush money trial
After a long week in court, Donald Trump is heading to the Jersey Shore. And his campaign says he'll be joined by "tens of thousands" of his friends.
For moms-to-be, it's possible to take maternity leave without breaking the bank
Pregnancy is often an exciting and anxious time for parents-to-be. And while painting the nursery and choosing a stroller are typically on the agenda, experts say preparing financially for a maternity leave can help reduce stress later on as well.
Fine dining, at a new high. A Michelin-starred chef will take his cuisine to our upper atmosphere
Six guests are set to ascend aboard Spaceship Neptune to the stratosphere, where they will enjoy an immersive dining experience served up by Danish Michelin-starred chef Rasmus Munk.
Israel orders new evacuations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah as it prepares to expand operations
Israel ordered new evacuations in Gaza's southern city of Rafah on Saturday, forcing tens of thousands more people to move as it prepares to expand its operation and adding that it is also moving into an area in northern Gaza where Hamas has regrouped.