Winter storm watches for most of the region Tuesday, Wednesday
With the first major snowfall of 2024 — and more bad weather likely on the way this week — police are warning drivers to slow down on the roads across Ottawa.
Snow began falling across the nation's capital Saturday evening and the Ottawa International Airport got about 13 centimetres total this weekend, according to Environment Canada.
The agency also issued winter storm watches for most of eastern Ontario and western Quebec, except for communities close to the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario.
The watches note 10 to 20 centimetres of snow — along with freezing rain and ice pellets — could start coming down late Tuesday afternoon and continue into Wednesday in Ottawa.
Weather watches, in yellow, and advisories cover most of the Ottawa-Gatineau region for Tuesday and, under the watches, Wednesday. (Environment Canada)
Areas west of the capital could get a bit more snow and western Quebec could get a lot more: the watch there says 20 to 40 centimetres of snow could fall.
This watch covers a big swath of that province and does note western Quebec could get more freezing rain.
Heavy wind is also a concern for western Quebec.
The special weather statements for communities such as Brockville and Cornwall predict less precipitation for a shorter time: up to 15 centimetres of snow and a risk of freezing rain ending by Wednesday morning.
The forecast holds five to 10 centimetres of afternoon snow for Belleville and Kingston, then rain.
Advice from police
Ottawa's had a drier past month than normal, according to CBC's Climate Dashboard. Experts say a dry winter can set the stage for a greater chance of drought and forest fires later in the year.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said Monday they had responded to 39 crashes during the snowfall.
"The OPP is reminding drivers to drive with extra caution in the snow. Leave extra room around vehicles as braking distance will be greatly reduced in slippery conditions," they wrote in a statement.
OPP suggest calling or checking 511 to check on road conditions before heading out.
Quebec's provincial police are also cautioning drivers, stressing that officers will be out monitoring.
"They're going to check if you have your winter tires," said Marc Tessier with the Sûreté du Québec. As of Dec. 1, winter tires are mandatory for all drivers in Quebec.
"If snow is not removed properly, you can have a fine … because snow on the top of the vehicle could hit another car when you're driving," he added.
