From Ontario's 'snowmageddon' to Vancouver's 'skidding cars': Fierce winter hits Canada in messy weather week

Mercury took a deep dive across Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario with Canadians finally getting a much-awaited white winterland

Joy Joshi
·Writer, Yahoo News Canada
·8 min read

Road closures, ferry cancellations, power outages and avalanche warnings were observed throughout British Columbia in a week that brought damaging winds and heavy snow as part of the powerful storm systems hitting Canada.

Authorities issued a special weather warning for parts of British Columbia against higher-than-usual ocean levels resulting in surging waves, with locations like west Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands witnessing significant snow and winds of up to 100 km/h.

Metro Vancouver saw high tides and fairly strong northwesterly winds with big waves crashing into the city seawall on the back of gusts anywhere from 30 to 50 kilometres per hour upwards of 60, as per several reports from the province.

Vancouverites reported "shivering" while taking videos of the extreme weather outdoors regardless of being "dressed for it" as the unbearable wind "hurt" them midway through the week.

B.C. out of power; cars skid on highways

Power outages were also reported across the province on Tuesday, with about 20,000 people left without electricity for hours until it was restored in the evening.

Highway disruptions also became frequent as the snowfall became persistent mid-week, matching the forecast expectations of between 40 to 60 cm of heavy snow, resulting in reduced visibility and treacherous driving.

Vehicles were seen skidding as panicked drivers jumped out of their cars, watching them pile up against each other and eventually blocking streets and highways along the way.

Alberta sees Arctic temperatures, record-breaking dip in Edmonton

A polar vortex swept Alberta on Thursday, dipping temperatures to a low not seen in decades as people in Edmonton reported mercury dropping to as low as -46 Celsius and wind chill making it next to impossible for locals to head out.

Meteorologists predict the cold spell will end by Sunday, making the weekend a dangerous stretch of days for the people who are likely to face temperatures lower than -30 Celsius for the remaining week.

Mercury dipping lower than -40 Celsius in Edmonton was last reported in 1972, with only one daytime high of -30 Celsius having happened since 2004.

'Snowmageddon' to 'zero centimetres' in Ontario

The famous Canadian saying, "if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes," seemed to aptly describe varying reports coming out of different parts of Ontario as residents found themselves in the grips of fluctuating temperatures during the messy weather week up north.

Environment Canada issued winter storm alerts for large parts of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland Tuesday morning, following which Canadians across provinces shared contrasting snow reports of messy weather.

While some people prepared themselves for a "snowmageddon" in Ontario, others reported no snowfall at all.

A veteran, however, felt the "snowmageddon" reference was a stretch for what they described as "half an inch of wet mushy snow."

Elsewhere in Ontario, people reported seeing green grass and rain instead of a snowy white landscape.

On the contrary, snow was seen coming down rather "fast" near Ottawa and parts of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Environment Canada issued multiple weather warnings Tuesday forecasting blowing snow and heavy rainfall across Ontario.

City and police officials urged residents to be cautious as they navigate the GTA, saying that flash flooding and slippery conditions are likely.

Birds brave the storm as furry friends enjoy playtime brought by delayed winter weather

December noted inconsistent winter weather with many locations across Canada, from British Columbia to northwest Ontario, breaking records for higher temperatures than usual during the last month of the year.

With proper winter weather finally hitting the region, Canadians were quick to share snapshots of their everyday lives adjusting to the snow, featuring cute furry friends and wildlife.