All hands on deck as city cleans up after major winter storm

Ontario remains under a winter storm warning as low pressure system moves across the Great Lakes region Sunday, but not before leaving behind an additional 10 to 20 centimetres of snowfall.

The OPP is advising against any unnecessary travel.

“Roadways are snow and ice covered, there is really no lane markers whatsoever,” said OPP Const. Ed Sanchuk.

“I would highly recommend that people stay off the roadways. Unfortunately, we’re still having drivers again driving like it’s a nice hot summer day out here, it’s not. We need to adjust to road and weather conditions.”

The snow began Saturday and has intensified Sunday as the system takes it’s time moving out of the region.

Environment Canada said conditions have rapidly deteriorated as a significant area of snow and blowing snow has settled over much of Southern Ontario.

Const. Sanchuk confirmed they have responded to dozens of accidents in the last 24 hours.

“We’ve seen collisions all the way throughout Southwestern Ontario,” explained Sanchuk.

“Vehicles in the ditch, vehicles that have spun out, we did have the (Highway) 401 closed for quite some time, due to a collision.”

Sanchuk said to “use common sense”, pack patience, ensure you have enough gas and windshield washer fluid, and do not try to pass snowplows.

“If you become entangled in one of those big machines, we’re going to look at serious injuries or death,” he said.

“The best place to be is behind the snowplow, not in front of it.”

The system snow is expected to move out by 5 p.m. Sunday, but it will leave behind an injection of cold air and strong winds, creating the perfect conditions for lake effect snow.

Temperatures on Family Day Monday will be frigid and well below seasonal, hovering near -10 C and feeling close to -20 C with the windchill.

“It’s been a very active response, those salter plow combination units have been on the road non-stop for 48-hours,” said Joel Gillard, the city’s road operations division manager.

Gillar said they stagger the sidewalk plows a little bit behind the road plows because there is that push back-and-forth effect between road plows pushing onto sidewalks, and sidewalks pushing back onto the roads. He’s asking Londoners to practice patience as they tackle the heavy snowfall.

“They do need some time to operate, we have seen quite a bit of snow, it is going to take us some time,” he said.

“We’re hoping to have things reasonably cleaned up by late tonight.”

Meantime, London Fire Platoon Chief Manager Brent Shea said remember to clear the snow around fire hydrants and vents properly.

“All your fossil fuel appliances venting properly and not creating CO conditions in your home. So, gas stove, hot water tanks, furnaces, anything that uses natural gas,” explained Shea.

Shea is also reminding the community to ensure you have working CO detectors on every floor where people are sleeping and test your smoke detectors monthly.