OTTAWA – It was a record-breaking snow day in the national capital.
By Tuesday evening, Ottawa had received 51.2 centimetres of snow to obliterate the Feb. 16 record of 39.6 centimetres set in 1954, and all-time single-day record of 40.6 set in March of 1947.
Environment Canada said the snow was piling up at a rate of four centimetres an hour at times and was expected to surpass 50 by the time it eased off in the evening.
The snow finally tapered off at about 9:30 p.m.
The slick conditions made roads treacherous, with countless cars stuck in the snow along with city transit buses.
Ottawa roads manager Luke Gagne says it’s the worst single-day volume of snow he has seen in his 25 years working for the city.
WATCH: Syrian refugee family plays in the Montreal snow for the first time