A big dump of snow in Central Alberta caused rural bus cancellations and slippery road conditions for the Red Deer area Tuesday morning.
As of 5 a.m. 19 cm had fallen at the Red Deer Airport, said Colin Fong, meteorologist for Environment Canada.
“We can expect two to five cm more before the storm tapers off and moves into Saskatchewan,” said Fong. Red Deer can also expect to see more blowing and drifting snow due to high winds early this afternoon.
Most of Central Alberta, especially the region closer to the Rockies, received up to 20 cm of snowfall, said Fong.
An Alberta Motor Association report issued a highway alert Tuesday morning for Red Deer, Ponoka, Stettler, and Innisfail.
Three to four semi-trucks were pulled from the ditches along Hwy 2 around Ponoka, said Cpl. Jerry Court from Ponoka RCMP. Highway lanes were restricted but the highway remains open.
Earlier Tuesday morning a truck was blocking a lane also on Hwy 2 by Didsbury, but no other problems so far have been reported, said Const. Steve Molnar of Innisfail RCMP. Roads around Innisfail are slick, partially snow-covered and if you don’t have to go anywhere today, stay home, said Molnar.
All Red Deer Catholic rural buses -- covering the Bowden, Blackfalds, Caroline, Didsbury, Innisfail, Olds, Red Deer, Rocky Mountain House and Sylvan Lake areas -- were cancelled Tuesday. Buses were also cancelled for Wild Rose, Chinooks Edge, Wolf Creek and Clearview school divisions. Gateway Christian School buses were cancelled in Red Deer. All city and rural schools remain open.
Graders and plow trucks have been on Red Deer roads since 1 a.m., said Jennifer Thoma of The City of Red Deer.
Red Deer didn’t set any snowfall records however. The record for Mar. 5 was set in 1958 when the city saw 27.4 cm fall, said Fong.
rfrancoeur@www.reddeeradvocate.com
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