Teed off golfers and dazed drivers will have to wait a few more days to see temperatures rise above freezing, says Environment Canada.
Meteorologist Brian Proctor says many Alberta towns and cities have broken records when it comes to how long a freezing spring storm has hung around like an unwanted guest.
“What’s so unusual is that we’ve had snow consecutively for three days in a row,” said Proctor.
“Usually snow storms are one day events, but this has been such a slow moving system.”
Police, emergency crews and road workers, experienced another busy day yesterday in and around Edmonton.
Stranded drivers waited for hours in ditches as there were several tow bans in place on a number of highways feeding into Edmonton, including the Queen Elizabeth II Highway.
There were several collisions reported on the stretch between Calgary and Edmonton including one near Leduc where a Greyhound bus struck a pickup truck about 11:10 p.m. Sunday. Yesterday, a driver near Olds died in a fiery wreck.
Tow truck operators say they’ve been busy.
“We’re playing a long waiting game right now,” said Rita Bassani, of Cliff’s Towing. “When we can actually see the roads, we will be out there.”
Randy Kilburn, a spokesperson with the city’s roadway maintenance department, says removing the white stuff is costing $100,000 a day. However, crews are still way below the city’s allotted snow removal budget, said Kilburn.
Walking through many places in Edmonton was a challenge yesterday for those walking to work, especially on crosswalks in the downtown where the morning wind felt like a dog bite.
Meanwhile, in central Canada yesterday, Toronto enjoyed the outdoors in 20 degree temperatures.
Proctor says temperatures in Edmonton will soar above the five-degree mark by Thursday.
-jeff.cummings@metronews.ca
