The Monday morning commute was like a game of bumper cars on many streets and roads around southern Alberta.
Heavy snow that blanketed the city of Calgary overnight made many roads virtually impassable as vehicles slid down hills and crashed into each other, prompting police to shut down some streets while emergency crews worked to clear away the smashed vehicles and debris.
Calgary Transit was also forced to detour buses on about 40 routes during the morning commute.
Calgary police said there were at least 389 crashes on city roads between midnight and 4 p.m. Monday, including 50 hit-and-runs and 26 crashes involving injuries.
For many people, spending the time needed to clear the heavy, wet snow from sidewalks and driveways also meant getting cold hands and a sore back.
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Tamara Hirsche arrived at work Monday morning after what she described as a “scary” drive.
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‘It was a little hairy, there are some placed that weren’t plowed,” said Hirsche. “It took me an hour to get here and it typically takes me about 25 to 30 minutes.”
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Bojan Bojagic, head of Summit Landscaping Services, said he loves the snow because it means more business.
“It’s wet snow so it’s going to take us way more time to do what we need to do, when it’s wet like this. It’s going to be a long day,” added Bojagic.
Emergency crews were forced to shut down this street in the Calgary community of Bankview on Monday morning when about 10 vehicles crashed into each other after failing to navigate a hill.
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A large area stretching from southeastern British Columbia into southern Saskatchewan was under a heavy snowfall warning, with up to 20 cm of snow expected to fall in some areas.
Environment Canada warned strong winds will also create blowing snow, reducing visibility and making travel challenging for motorists.
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In Lethbridge, city officials were also reminding motorists to drive to the conditions.
“Be prepared, have your winter tires on, your winter emergency kit, plan extra time for your commute and also be mindful of other people’s needs,” said Juliane Ruck, transportation operations manager for the City of Lethbridge.
Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for a large area stretching from southeastern B.C. into Saskatchewan, with up to 20 cm of snow expected in the hardest hit areas close to the U.S. border.
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Some people, though, were philosophical about the snow’s arrival.
“I love it,” said Heather Thomas. “We live in a place where we are guaranteed we are going to get it, and how beautiful can it be when everything looks as great as it does right now?”
The snow is forecast to taper off late Monday in B.C. and Alberta, and Tuesday morning in Saskatchewan.
However, the temperature is also expected to drop from a high of -2 C on Monday in Calgary to about -8 C by Friday.
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The normal temperature in Calgary at this time of year is 0 C.
Highways in the Medicine Hat area of southeastern Alberta were also reported to be snow-covered and slippery.
Courtesy: 511Alberta
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