A major blizzard has slammed southern Manitoba, closing highways, roads, schools, and businesses.
Environment & Climate Change Canada says a strong Alberta clipper whipped its way through the Prairie provinces and into Manitoba overnight.
“We’ve seen about 15 to 20 centimetres of snow and, in some places, even higher. Combined with 70 to 80 kilometre an hour wind gusts, you’ve got a good recipe for a blizzard, which is what we saw,” Environment & Climate Change Canada meteorologist Terri Lang told Global News.
Lang says the winds are expected to ease by late Thursday afternoon.
Those whipping winds caused whiteout conditions and nearly zero visibility throughout much of southern Manitoba Thursday, and Lang says that also makes it difficult to calculate snowfall totals.
“We have areas that are completely scoured clean, and then you have areas that have three foot drifts,” Lang said.
“When it comes to cities versus rural – cities are snow traps because they have buildings and trees and cars that traps the snow, whereas out in the rural areas, nothing traps it until it encounters something. So it’s so hard to try and measure exactly how much fell.”
The Winnipeg Police Service says they responded to multiple calls due to traffic lights being out and traffic collisions. Cst. Stephen Spencer is urging residents to stay home, if possible.
“It does create a problem for officers trying to attend those calls – whether it’s vehicles that are stuck or abandoned, backing up traffic – Just the snow itself and the visibility can really impact officers being able to attend calls in a timely manner,” Cst. Spencer told Global News.
“So expect some delays today until this weather clears.”
The blizzard conditions also prompted power outages to several thousand residents across southern Manitoba, and Manitoba Hydro says the dangerous travel conditions and closed highways and roads will delay power restoration.
“The safety of our employees and the public is our top priority,” Manitoba Hydro media relations officer Peter Chura said in an emailed statement. “Once conditions permit, Manitoba Hydro crews will safely restore power as quickly as possible, but customers should be prepared for extended outages.”
Hydro also says there are reports of downed power lines, and is urging residents to stay 10 metres away from down lines and to call 911.
Manitoba RCMP says they received 11 reports of collisions on Manitoba highways overnight and numerous reports of vehicles stuck in ditches. Mounties also say approximately 20 drivers have called in to report they are stranded due to the conditions, and officers and tow truck drivers are unable to reach them but operators from the RCMP’s operational communications centre are doing regular check-ins with those individuals over the phone.
Here is a list of closures and cancellations around Manitoba as a result of inclement weather and blizzard conditions:
Road Closures:
The following highways are now reopened:
Highway 1, from Highway 11 to Highway 207
Highway 2, from Hwy 100 to St. Claude
Highway 3, from Hwy 100 to S. Jct. Hwy 34
Highway 6, from Hwy 101 to St. Laurent
Highway 7, from Hwy 101 to Arborg
Highway 8, from 101 to 229
Highway 9, from 101 to Winnipeg Beach
Highway 10, from Hwy 19 to S. Ent. Riding Mountain Park
Highway 12, from Hwy 1 to the USA border
Highway 13, from Carman to Highway 1
Highway 14, from Highway 3 to Rosenfeld
Highway 16, from Minnedosa to Newdale
Highway 17, from Inwood to Poplarfield
Highway 21, from Hwy 1 to Highway 45
Highway 23, from Lowe Farm to Highway 5
Highway 26, from Hwy 1 (St. Francis Xavier) to Hwy 1 (Portage la Prairie)
Highway 34, from Holland to USA border
Highway 44, from Lockport to Tyndall
Highway 52, from Hwy 59 to La Broquerie
Highway 59, from Hwy 100 to Hwy 201
Highway 59, Hwy 101 to Victoria Beach
Highway 75, from Winnipeg city limits to USA border.
Highway 83 from Highway 1 to Russell
Highway 100, South Perimeter, from Hwy 1 (Portage Ave.) to Hwy 1 (Fermor Ave.)
Highway 101, North Perimeter, from Hwy 1 (Portage Ave.) to Hwy 1 (Fermor Ave.)
Highway 244, from Manitou to S. Jct. Hwy 245
Highway 276, from Ste. Rose du Lac to Hwy 481.
Highway 330, from Hwy 100 to Hwy 75.
For current highway conditions go to Manitoba 511.
Major school closures and bus cancellations of note:
All Winnipeg Schools are closed.
This includes Louis Riel, River East Transcona, St. James Assiniboia, Seven Oaks, DSFM, Pembina Trails and Winnipeg School Divisions.
The University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg and RRC Polytech are closed.
Other school divisions and school closures:
Pine Creek School Division
Prairie Rose School Division
Garden Valley School Division
Border land School Division
Hanover School Division
Turtle Mountain School Division
Seine River School Division
Red River Valley School Division
Sunrise School Division
Southwest Horizon School Division
Rolling River School Division
Lakeshore School Division
Prairie Spirit School Division
Lord Selkirk School Division
Interlake School Division
Evergreen School Division
St. John’s-Ravenscourt School
West St Paul school
Gray Academy of Jewish Educatio
Laureate Acadamdy
Mennonite Brethren Collegiate Institute
Brandon School Division- Alexander, O’Kelly and Spring Valley Schools
Over a dozen DSFM schools outside perimeter:
Lagimodière (Lorette)
Gabrielle-Roy (IDC)
Réal-Bérard (Saint-Pierre)
Saint-Joachim (La Broquerie)
Pointe-des-Chênes (Sainte-Anne)
Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Sainte-Agathe
Noël-Ritchot
Aurèle-Lemoine (Saint-Laurent)
Gilbert-Rosset (Saint-Claude)
École Régionale Notre-Dame (ND de Lourdes)
La Source (Shilo)
Saint-Lazare
Jours de Plaine (Laurier)
Saint-Georges
Other bus cancellations:
Balmoral Hall
Prairie Central Adventist Academy
Our Lady of Victory Catholic School
Brandon School Division – buses will not be operating outside the city of Brandon.
Other:
Storybook Daycare in Transcona
Stonewall Children’s Center
Both sites of Teulon Day Care & Teulon Day Care School-Age program
La Salle Kidz Inc
All WASO programs are closed for today (Work and Social Opportunities)
Kidz Korner Infant Childcare
Little People’s Place closed in Windsor Park
Inkster Community Childcare
Tyndal Park Playschool in Tyndal Park School
On the move daycare
This story will continue to be updated.