Cold alert issued for city as more snow looms

Mountain took the brunt of the latest winter blast

Hamilton’s medical officer of health issued an overnight cold weather alert for the city.

Issued just after noon Tuesday, the alert will remain in place until it’s cancelled. Cold weather alerts happen when temperatures are at or below -15 C, or -20 C with wind chill.

When a cold alert is issued, residents are reminded to bundle up in layers, protect their ears, face and hands with scarves, mitts and hats and keep their feet dry.

A number of city recreation centres open for those needing to keep warm. Community agencies are also offering dropin warming centres to residents. COVID-19 precautions will be in place and masks are required. Public library branches were closed Tuesday due to the winter storm but are expected to open Wednesday as warming centres if the alert is still active.

Members of the public can report the location of a person in need of shelter to the Salvation Army at 905-527-1444 ext. 0.

The cold weather alert comes as the city continues to feel the brunt of winter.

Geoff Coulson, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment Canada, told The Spectator they’d received reports of about 20 cm of snow falling around the city Tuesday, with reports of closer to 30 cm on the Hamilton Mountain as well as in Ancaster through to Stoney Creek and Grimsby.

Coulson said the system that dumped more of the white stuff on the city tracked just south of the Great Lakes, setting it up with a north to northeast wind coming onshore.

The ongoing storm tapered off Tuesday afternoon, but more snow is seemingly on the horizon.

Coulson said meteorologists are “keeping their eye” on a system coming up from the Gulf of Mexico for later in the day Thursday and into Friday. They’re uncertain at this point what it will bring, but it’s possible more statements will come from Environment Canada on Wednesday. Coulson said early estimates are looking at another 10 cm of snow or perhaps another winter storm

warning if the “amounts are going to be higher.”

“We’re not sure exactly what track it’s going to take, but we know there will be a general snowfall in the area,” he said.

PHOTOS BY BARRY GRAY THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR A west Mountain man takes a break from shovelling to watch as a snowplow heads down his street. Many Hamiltonians spent part of Tuesday digging out after another large snowfall overnight Monday.

Brenda Gifford clears snow off the top of a car on Brucedale Avenue. More cold weather is expected this week.

Scan to see more work by The Spectator’s photojournalists.

Joseph Callura disappears in a cloud of snow as he plows a property on Brucedale Avenue.