Freezing rain warnings lifted for Saskatchewan

Environment Canada lifted freezing rain warnings early Tuesday afternoon for all areas of Saskatchewan.

Just after 1 p.m., the weather service cancelled the last of its warnings. Those were in place for areas around Humboldt, Wynyard, Wadena, Lanigan, Foam Lake, Melfort, Tisdale, Nipawin and Carrot River.

Warnings initially had been issued for areas around Kindersley, Outlook and Swift Current before shifting eastward.

Later in the morning, warnings were called for Regina and Saskatoon and regions around Moose Jaw, Assiniboia, Estevan and Fort Qu’Appelle.

Meteorologist Mike Russo said the recent warm weather was partly to blame.

“What we have is a warm front and the the warm front is putting some warmer air aloft,” Russo said.

He explained that precipitation starts as snow higher up in the atmosphere and melts as it passes through the warmer layer of air. But since the temperature near the ground is still below zero degrees Celsius, the rain freezes.

Russo advised people to check highway conditions.

Around 9:30 a.m., Moose Jaw police issued a warning to drivers, calling the road conditions in and around the city “extreme.” A portion of Thatcher Drive was closed after “numerous vehicles” were left blocking the road, but that stretch of road was later reopened.

RCMP said between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. there were several reports of vehicles in the ditch between Saskatoon and the southwest corner of the province, as well as ‘skating rink’ like conditions on Highway 1 between the Alberta border and Moose Jaw that resulted in several vehicles and semis sliding off the road.

While city crews are out sanding streets, the police service characterized the roads as “dangerously icy” and, in some cases, “impassable.”

Russo expects the freezing rain to continue until the afternoon.

“The mild air aloft should start pulling out of the system as we get into the afternoon hours. As a result, most areas will be seeing snow, instead of rain,” he said.