People were greeted by messy, wet roads on the afternoon commute in Ottawa as a snowstorm caused treacherous conditions in the city.
Environment Canada said that people should expect heavy snowfall to bring 15 to 20 centimetres to the nation’s capital. It is anticipated to stop snowing sometime Wednesday night into Thursday. This prompted the City of Ottawa to issue an overnight parking ban on Dec. 10 to 11 from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
“During a winter weather parking ban, parking is prohibited on city streets so crews can plow easily and effectively,” the website reads. “Vehicles parked on the street during a ban may be ticketed and towed.”
During bans there are select lots where people can park, a list can be found here.
Buses were running, and people still went to work on Wednesday morning during the calm before the storm.
Roads in Ottawa were wet with a high of -6 C on Wednesday morning. Wind will pick up in the afternoon, gusting to 50 km/h, making it feel more like -12, before dropping to -16 overnight.
This coincides with the bulk of the snow heading to the city.
“There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic. Visibility will likely be reduced at times,” the weather agency notes.
Provincial and local police are asking people to be cautious ahead of the storm, warning them to slow down and leave extra distance.
The storm is a low-pressure system from Alberta that is impacting most of the province.
