Take care during slow commute this morning

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 13/02/2014 (4233 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Even though the city has had a fleet of machines clearing snow off roadways since late Wednesday night, drivers should expect a slow commute this morning

Adverse weather and varying levels of visibility are affecting traffic on most major roadways in and out of Winnipeg.

During and after the 10-centimetre snowfall overnight, the City of Winnipeg has had crews out as part of clearing operations.

A press release from the city this morning stated grader plowing began around 11 p.m., with Priority 1 streets — which are the regional routes.

Clearing has begun of the bus and collector routes, the Priority 2 streets, as well as sanding operations on those roads.

Residential streets (Priority 3) with areas prone to drifting are being monitored and will receive spot plowing and sanding where required.

Clearing of sidewalks in all of the above areas began at 7 a.m.today.

The city said back lanes are being monitored and crews are responding to 311 requests. The clearing operation for back lanes will start Friday at 7 a.m.

A reminder by the city to citizens is that “the Declared Snow Route Parking Ban” remains in effect from 12 midnight to 7 a.m. until further notice.”

The city’s residential parking ban has been declared and will be in effect starting Saturday morning.

Residents are urged to confirm their snow zone letter of the alphabet at knowyourzone.winnipeg.ca or by contacting 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by phone or by email at 311@winnipeg.ca. Citizens are encouraged to find out their snow zone letter well in advance of Saturday’s start of residential plowing.

As for the weather today, the precipitation and blowing snow are expected to end later this afternoon. Today’s high of -16 C won’t feel too warm due to the -31 wind chill.

Tonight will be cloudy with a low of -25 C.

The province is reporting (www.manitoba.ca, Manitoba 511) that highways and roads around the city of Winnipeg, west on the Trans-Canada to Brandon, east on the Trans-Canada to St. Anne, Highway 75 south and Highway 59 north and south are all partly covered with “fair visibility.”

However, the Trans-Canada past St. Anne toward Kenora and Highway 12 to Steinbach are snow-covered.

Roadways on the east side of Lake Winnipeg are mostly snow-covered with poor to fair visibility.

On Friday, for Valentine’s Day and the opening of le Festival du Voyageur, it will be mainly cloudy with a 60 percent chance of flurries and a high of -16 C.

More snow is expected Saturday with a 60 percent chance of flurries. The high will be -15 C and the low will be -19 C.

It will be windy on Sunday with a high of -9 C and a low of -22 C, while Monday — the holiday Louis Riel Day — will bring a high of -2 C and a low -9 C.