Saskatoon sees spike in traffic collisions after wet, late-season snowfall

Another late-season snow storm is expected to hammer some Saskatchewan communities with up to 50 centimetres of snow. Stacey Hein reports.

The late-season snowfall in Saskatoon has made for a slippery commute on Friday morning.

Police say officers had already been called to the scene of 41 crashes by noon, although no serious injuries have been reported at this time.

According to the City of Saskatoon, one person did sustain minor injuries when a transit bus and SUV collided on the Taylor Street overpass of Circle Drive around 8 a.m. Friday morning.

Weather and road conditions are believed to be a factor in the crash, the city says.

Video footage from a surveillance camera on the bus was shared with police and transit officials are conducting their own internal investigation to see if any lessons can be learned.

The city says the estimated cost of damages to the bus is not yet available.

Police are reminding drivers to slow down, allow for extra travel time, and to increase their following distance with other vehicles.

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The snow is expected to continue overnight, with Environment and Climate Change Canada’s forecast calling for between 12 to 14 centimetres of accumulation by Saturday.

Temperatures are forecast to climb above freezing starting Sunday, rising slowly over the next week.

Northern Saskatchewan seeing heavier snowfall

The latest blast of snow has hit some parts of the province even harder.

When Kandis Riese looked outside her La Ronge home around 2 a.m. Thursday, she found her yard already blanketed in snow. She said flurries had started earlier in the night and quickly intensified.

“I was like, man, that’s coming down pretty fast, and if this is only part of the snow that’s coming down, we’re going to have quite a pile,” Riese said in an interview with CTV News.

School buses were cancelled, which she said rarely happens.

“My hubby said I might have to take our girl to school in the loader because there’s more snow,” she said with a laugh.

Terri Lang, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said La Ronge had already seen about 22 centimetres by Thursday morning, with totals expected to reach up to 50 centimetres by Friday.

What’s causing all this late-season snow?

Lang said the system bringing the latest wave of the white stuff is being driven by a Montana low that’s following an unusual track.

“Normally they just keep going east and become Ontario’s problem. But this one has taken a left turn and is following up along the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border,” she said.

She said because it’s a low-pressure system, the winds move counterclockwise, pulling in colder air from the north and bringing mild, humid air from the south.

“So when you combine the cold air with this warm, humid air, it’s a good combination for snow,” she said.

Back in La Ronge, Riese said she sees a silver lining in the snowfall.

“I’ll take this snow any day over a smoky wildfire summer,” she said. “If the snow helps add moisture, because we’re apparently into a dry season here, bring on the snow.”

As the snow continues, Riese said it’s important to check in on neighbours, especially those who may be stuck at home.