Environment Canada issued a warning because mild conditions were to be followed by rapid freezing.
KENORA — A “yellow” warning for a flash freeze was issued Tuesday morning for much of Northwestern Ontario.
Environment Canada said melting due to above-zero temperatures followed by rapidly falling temperatures was expected to lead to icy conditions late in the afternoon into the evening.
It said any precipitation that fell while temperatures were fluctuating could exacerbate the situation.
Overnight lows were expected to range between -16 C and – 20 C.
“Roads and walkways may quickly become icy and slippery…and could be difficult to detect,” Environment Canada stated. “Be careful if walking or driving.”
The region covered by the yellow warning stretches from Red Lake to Rainy River and from Savant Lake to Mine Centre, including communities in between.
Under the new alert system colour yellow indicates a moderate level of impact is expected, while a warning means a high degree of confidence in the forecast.
Environment Canada has also said icing could become a concern in the Thunder Bay area Tuesday night into Wednesday.
More information about the new colour-coded alerting program is available online.
