Saskatoon, Regina crews prepped for blizzard

High winds and heavy snowfall are expected to hit Saskatchewan’s two largest cities over the next 24 hours.

The City of Saskatoon is doing its best to prepare for the blizzard-like conditions, with a clear priority in making sure everyone stays as safe as possible.

“Saskatoon is experiencing major wind and blowing snow, reducing visibility in some areas,” Goran Saric, the city’s director of roadways, said in a media release Monday. “The City recommends that drivers slow down and leave space between the vehicle ahead in case of sudden stops.”

Saric says crews are focused on making sure roads are still passable.

“While it snows, city crews will be monitoring road conditions and responding to ice and snow as best as they can along priority streets and busy intersections to keep Saskatoon’s busiest streets clear,” Saric said. “The wind may blow away some sand and salt that we apply, so icy locations may develop as the temperature drops into the evening.”

One of the city’s big concerns are the large snow piles that have built up throughout the winter season, according to Saric.

“With higher-than-average snowfalls so far this winter, the snow piles are getting big along all priority streets,” he said. “Removal of these piles is ongoing; however, it will be interrupted by these weather changes, as staff are reassigned to ensure driving lanes on priority streets are in good condition.”

Five centimetres of snow are expected to hit Saskatoon with wind gusts up to 70 kilometres per hour.

In Regina, the city has approximately 50 pieces of equipment ready to roll to tackle the snowstorm.

“During a snow event, we are in Storm Mode to keep major roads drivable by plowing snow and applying ice control at high-risk intersections,” the city said in an emailed statement. “This means our focus is on high-speed roads, those with the greatest volume of traffic, and emergency routes, as well as monitor and clear road sections prone to blowing snow. This pattern continues until the snow has stopped falling.”

If Regina gets five centimetres of snow or more, crews will start a systematic plow, beginning with roads that have the highest traffic and continuing through various categories until normal winter driving conditions return.