Spring snowstorm slams northern Alberta
Greyhound bus slides off highway near Leduc; no one injured
Last Updated: Monday, April 21, 2008 | 10:38 AM MT
CBC News
The worst spring snowstorm in decades continued to wallop Edmonton and northern Alberta Monday, making the morning commute miserable and forcing road crews to haul out snowplows and graders that have been parked for months.
By the morning rush hour, Edmonton had received about 15 centimetres of wet snow, while areas north and east had received about 25 centimetres. High winds, gusting to 50 km/h, caused whiteouts in many rural areas, and generated wind chills that felt like –20 C.
Motorists in Edmonton and northern Alberta struggled through the snow Monday morning to get to work.
(CBC)
Police blamed the storm for a crash involving a Greyhound bus, which slid off Highway 2 and into the ditch Sunday night south of Leduc. None of the 16 passengers on the bus was injured, police said.
"It definitely will be remembered," Bob Dunford, supervisor of roadway maintenance for the City of Edmonton, told CBC News Monday morning.
Dunford said city crews have been working all weekend to keep up with snow drifting onto roadways because of the high winds.
The city had 150 pieces of snow-clearing equipment at work, including hired graders, which were called in at midnight to bolster city forces, Dunford said.
"In my 30 years I have never seen a [spring] snowstorm where we have had to pull in our contract graders," Dunford said.
Motorists found their commute took about twice the usual time, with delays of around 20 minutes on Whitemud Drive, Yellowhead Trail and Anthony Henday Drive.
There were dozens of minor collisions and spinouts, but police reported no serious crashes.
Edmonton Transit buses were running about 10 minutes behind schedule, officials said.
Northern Alberta highway conditions were reported as fair to poor, with RCMP warning of reduced visibility due to blowing snow.
A sweeper works to clear a sidewalk in downtown Edmonton of the 15 centimtres of snow that had fallen by Monday morning.
(CBC)
More cold in forecast
"Depressing is the word," said Edmontonian Richard Robinson. Until Friday he had been riding his motorcycle to work.
"Now I can't even get it out of the garage," Robinson said.
Brian Hennessig, on the other hand, was congratulating himself for delaying removal of his snow tires.
"I haven't taken the ski rack off the van. So who knows, maybe there's another trip in it for me."
There is no quick end in sight to the blast of wintry weather. The high winds are not expected to abate until late Monday. Another five centimetres of snow is forecast for Edmonton and up to 15 centimetres more for northeastern Alberta.
"So often with these spring surprises, it snows one day, the sun comes out and melts it all the next day," Dave Phillips, Environment Canada's senior climatologist told CBC News Monday.
"When you look at the forecast, my gosh, you see temperatures that are barely getting above zero degrees this week for highs."
Phillips said people in northern Alberta shouldn't be surprised by the latest storm, however, because April is typically the month with the heaviest snowfalls.
