Crashes abound as poor road conditions reported across Alberta

Winter upwind is wreaking havoc crossed Alberta with blowing snowfall and fluctuating temperatures starring to mediocre driving conditions connected highways successful the province.

An Environment Canada snowfall warning was successful effect Thursday day for a swath of occidental Alberta betwixt Edmonton and the Rocky Mountains, successful an country wherever astatine slightest 2 large collisions were reported.

One of those ample crashes occurred northwest of Edmonton, connected Highway 43 betwixt Whitecourt and Fox Creek.

RCMP said officers were responding to aggregate collisions successful the northbound and southbound lanes of the road adjacent Two Creeks.

Fox Creek RCMP study respective semi trucks and different assorted vehicles are progressive and the full roadway is impassable astatine this time.

Area nonmigratory Grant Mott provided a photograph to Global News, which showed respective tractor-trailers either successful the ditch oregon crashed connected the road. Mott said helium came crossed the country astir 11:30 a.m. and was stuck successful the postulation jam for astir an hour.

He said yet a azygous lane of postulation was capable to get past 1 of the jack-knifed semi trucks and weave astir the different vehicles stuck connected the road.

Icy roadworthy conditions are a important factor, constabulary said.

Drivers are being asked to debar that portion of Highway 43 and find alternate routes. Motorists are asked to springiness plentifulness of abstraction and clip to each archetypal responders connected country portion RCMP attempts to assistance wide lanes for traffic.

Further southbound on the Yellowhead successful occidental Alberta, Evansburg RCMP besides responded to aggregate collisions on the large highway.

Police said astatine slightest 1 progressive a semi motortruck and respective vehicles sliding into the ditches on Highway 16, done to the eastbound broadside of Gainford.

The road is precise icy and presently some the eastbound and westbound lanes are backed up with lone 1 westbound lane disposable for postulation flow, RCMP said astatine astir 12:30 p.m.

Evansburg RCMP besides asked for patience from drivers arsenic they enactment to wide the roads, and said drivers who tin debar the country should bash truthful if possible.

Environment Canada said dense snowfall with full amounts of 10 to 20 cm is expected Thursday successful the foothills and parts of Alberta westbound of Edmonton.

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Heavy snowfall volition proceed to autumn passim the time and overnight, earlier moderating aboriginal Friday morning.

Poor question conditions were expected connected Highway 16 and the upwind bureau said rapidly accumulating snowfall could marque question difficult.

Poor conditions are being reported not conscionable successful the foothills, but besides further southbound and towards the Saskatchewan border.

RCMP said officers successful Oyen, adjacent Medicine Hat, responded implicit the noon hr to a superior collision connected Highway 41 astatine Highway 570.

Traffic was being redirected successful each directions portion exigency workers respond and constabulary investigate. No details connected the fig of vehicles progressive or  injuries was disposable arsenic of publishing.

Environment Canada forecasted blowing snowfall successful that portion of the Prairies connected Thursday and said gusty winds volition predominate the region.

The agency’s important upwind treatment said an country of aggravated snowfall could beryllium seen connected radar Thursday.

“This ties successful with an precocious lukewarm beforehand extending from the Pacific eastbound crossed the Rockies adjacent Hinton, towards Lloydminster. This country volition beryllium premier to person accumulative snowfall contiguous and tonight, with wide amounts of 2-5 cm expected per portion period. The lone objection to this volition beryllium betwixt Hinton and Whitecourt/Edson, wherever terrain volition assistance to heighten snowfall amounts successful this area,” Environment Canada said.

Thursday’s snow precedes a driblet successful somesthesia coming for Alberta, arsenic the pitchy watercourse volition displacement farther southbound — dragging frigid Arctic aerial on with it.

Edmonton is forecast to scope a precocious of -21 C by Sunday and a debased of -26 that night.

Calgary is besides expected to spot below-freezing temperatures.

By Saturday nighttime successful Lethbridge, the somesthesia could plunge to -20 C and is expected to stay precise acold for respective days after.