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First seasonal parking ban of 2018 declared in Edmonton as snow blankets much of Alberta

Click to play video: 'Huge amounts of snow creates commuter chaos in Edmonton'
Huge amounts of snow creates commuter chaos in Edmonton
WATCH ABOVE: You know the roads are slick when even tow trucks are struggling to get traction. Kim Smith is out in the snow tonight and has an update on weather and traffic – Jan 26, 2018

The first seasonal parking ban of 2018 will go into effect this weekend, the City of Edmonton announced Friday morning.

The seasonal parking ban will be in place as of 11:59 p.m. Saturday.

A parking ban will also go into effect in Strathcona County, at noon on Sunday.

Environment Canada said 10 to 25 centimetres of snow has fallen across parts of Alberta, with the highest amounts north and east of Edmonton.

In Edmonton, 211 staff members, 72 plows, 17 graders and 16 sanders were involved in the snow-clearing efforts on Friday.

The weather agency said heavy snow will continue in north-central Alberta Friday, from Slave Lake to Edmonton and east to the Saskatchewan border.

Snow on Gateway Blvd. near 76 Avenue in south Edmonton, Alta. January 26, 2018. Dave Carels, Global News

It said the snow is tapering off in the Peace River, Grande Prairie, Whitecourt and Drayton Valley regions and warnings there have ended.

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The heavy snow in eastern regions will taper off later Friday afternoon and evening.

WATCH: The snow was still falling Friday at noon as the Edmonton area saw about 15 centimetres overnight. Julia Wong and Kim Smith have more on the seasonal parking ban, road clearing and collision numbers.

Click to play video: 'Snowfall and parking ban hit Edmonton'
Snowfall and parking ban hit Edmonton

Parts of central and northern Alberta were expected to receive more than 15 to 25 centimetres of snow by Friday morning, prompting Environment Canada to issue a snowfall warning just before noon Thursday. Several regions of central Alberta, including Edmonton, are under the warning.

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READ MORE: What to pack in your Emergency Roadside Kit

Want to know if there are snow plows in your area? Alberta Transportation has a live map showing the location of all provincial snow-clearing and roadway maintenance vehicles.

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Bike lanes on 76 Avenue near 106 Street were cleared after a big snowfall in Edmonton. January 26, 2018. Julia Wong, Global News

https://twitter.com/VeekeeWeekee/status/956927472225824768

As of 9:30 a.m., 11 collisions had been reported to Edmonton police, including one hit and run and two injury crashes.

But, later Friday, police said 121 collisions had been reported between 6 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Twelve were hit-and-run crashes and 11 involved injuries.

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Environment Canada said a low-pressure system developed in southern Alberta Thursday morning, spreading snow across portions of central and northern Alberta. Over 24 hours, the low was expected to intensify with the heaviest snowfall accumulations expected across central and northern Alberta, including in Edmonton.

READ MORE: Photo highlights drastic difference in Edmonton snowfall in 2011 versus 2018

One of the best ways to track locally hazardous driving conditions is from local viewer reports. The #yegtraffic hashtag is often used by Twitter users reporting traffic issues within Edmonton.

If safe to do so, share your weather photos with us via the Global Edmonton Facebook and Twitter accounts. You can also post updates from your community using the hashtags#yegwx and #abstorm.

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Want your weather on the go? Download Global News’ Skytracker weather app for iPhone, iPad and Android.

A worker using a snowblower to clear snow outside United Cycle in Edmonton, Alta. following an overnight snowfall. January 26, 2018. Dave Carels, Global News

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