EDMONTON – Environment Canada dropped a freezing rain warning Wednesday afternoon after it was issued earlier in the day for parts of Alberta, including Edmonton.
“A warm front associated with a major system in B.C. heads across central Alberta today,” said Global Edmonton Chief Meteorologist Nicola Crosbie.
“Temperatures still well below freezing at ground level, combined with the warm air aloft, will present an environment for freezing rain.”
“All precipitation starts falling as snow in the upper levels of the atmosphere. When it falls through a deep warming layer, it melts, to become rain. When that rain hits the surface, it freezes on contact,” Crosbie explained.
A band of freezing rain made for very slippery conditions around the city and in Edmonton.
Cpl. Chris Little with Strathcona County RCMP said road conditions in and around Sherwood Park were treacherous Wednesday afternoon. Little reminded drivers they could be fined if they fail to properly clean their windshield. Fines could also be handed out for drivers who don’t properly clear their licence plates.
In the central and southern parts of the city, the freezing rain was fairly short-lived.
Watch the video above: Nightwatch reporter Shallima Maharaj takes a look at how the Edmonton International Airport was keeping passengers moving after freezing rain in the region created slick conditions.
Crews at the Edmonton International Airport were busy Wednesday de-icing planes. But the airport has plenty of experience in dealing with difficult winter conditions.
“We’re operating in winter conditions sometimes 200 days of the year, so we get a lot of practice at it, very experienced and a great operations crew that knows what they’re doing,” explained Heather Hamilton, Edmonton International Airport.
EIA moves about 20,000 people every day. In order to keep travellers moving on days like Wednesday when there’s freezing rain, crews go through plenty of de-icing material. The airport uses about three million litres every year.
“In some other jurisdictions – or places that don’t have winter weather that often, they have to go out there and sort of use their best judgement to determine if the runway is too slippery or not, but we have the sensors actually embedded in the runway that will tell us if it needs more chemical or not so we know if we have to reapply,” said Hamilton.
No precipitation was expected Thursday in the Capital Region. The high for the day was expected to be -15 °C, with wind expected to be 20-40 km/h.
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