It was a blustery, cold, white Christmas across much of Alberta. Now, after receiving over half a metre of snow in a relatively short time, the cleanup is on.
“I don’t remember the last time we had such a high volume in such a short time, but things are proceeding as they should be,” city councillor Michael Janz said on Monday.
Heavy snow began falling Christmas Eve and carried on through the ensuing two days. Blowing snow and blizzard-like conditions showed up on Boxing Day across the Edmonton region — and that’s after an Alberta clipper swept through the week earlier.
“On Dec. 25, we saw snowfall totals range between 10 and 14 cm, and on the 27th between 10 and 15 cm,” said Global News weather specialist Phil Darlington, who speaks to meteorologists at Environment and Climate Change Canada regularly to compare notes and collect data.
“All told, we have received roughly 50-70 cm for the month of December.”
Janz said so far, he hasn’t received many complaints.
“I think the fact that the snow dump happened right on Christmas Eve when a lot of people may not have been travelling or may have made alternate plans. They may not have had to go to work. I think we saw a lower traffic volume on the roads at that time, which helped make sure the crews could get out, get cleaning, get to work,” he said.
On Sunday morning, the City of Edmonton enacted a Phase 1 seasonal parking ban — as expected — less than a week after the first one of the season ended.
The city said while crews had been working continuously last week to keep roads clear, that wasn’t sufficient after all the snow that fell over Christmas and Boxing Day.
“Due to the volume of snow we have received over the last few days, a Phase 1 parking ban is necessary for clearing the accumulation and drifting of snow,” said Val Dacyk, general supervisor of infrastructure field operations with the city’s parks and roads services department.
During the Phase 1 parking ban, parking is prohibited on arterials, collector roads, bus routes and roads within business improvement at all hours until the clearing is complete.
Janz said he’s heard snowplows working overnight the past few evenings.
“I know they’re working hard getting out there. The crews are out there working, trying to make sure the roads are clear and people are moving.
“It’s incredibly challenging every year, especially when you have a dump of this volume.”
Vehicles left parked on Phase 1 parking ban roadways may be ticketed $250 and/or towed. Drivers can still park on residential roads that aren’t marked with the signs.
During the parking ban earlier this month, 113 tickets were issued for obstructing seasonal parking ban lanes, one warning was issued and a dozen other vehicles were towed.
In order for plows and graders to clear the roads, the city urges drivers not to leave their vehicles parked on roads marked with white “seasonal parking ban” signs.
“Crews are actively clearing these roadways 24 hours a day, and we anticipate the parking ban to be in effect for three-to-five days.”
At the same time, school zone clearing operations are running daily until Jan. 4, 2026.
Darlington said this month’s snowfall is the sixth-wettest December in over the 143 years of record keeping. The first was in 1893, when 81.5 cm was recorded.
“We may still see a bit of snow and rain mix with the remaining days of 2025, but nothing heavy is forecasted for the rest of the year.
“The first day of 2026 however, a few centimeters are possible.”
The city will issue an announcement later this week when the Phase 1 ban is over.
If the City determines that a Phase 2 parking ban for residential and industrial roads is necessary, an additional announcement will occur.
A Phase 2 ban is declared if there are severe safety concerns or greater than up to 10 cm of snow pack.
The city said last week Edmonton is now seeing those conditions.
During a Phase 2 ban, residential roads are not not cleared to bare pavement, but rather bladed to a level snowpack of about five cm.
A Phase 2 ban can last up to 14 days, the ban only affects individual neighbourhoods for around 72 hours when they are scheduled for clearing.
A notice of the scheduling will occur at least 24 hours ahead of time, when yellow “no parking” signs are placed at main entrances to neighbourhoods.
Plows can make several passes, so the city said residents should not resume parking until work in an area is confirmed to be completed.
After crews have completed work in a neighbourhood, the ban will be lifted for that particular area and parking may resume even while the broader ban is in effect.