Niagara getting a mixed bag of weather
Weather in Niagara will continue to be a series of ups and downs for the next several days.
According to Environment Canada meteorologist Gerald Cheng, and following freezing rain that had drizzled over the region Tuesday, another weather system moving in today was expected to result in two to four centimetres of snow.
While freezing rain coated roads and sidewalks Tuesday morning, a temperature reading of –5 C was registered in Port Colborne and – 3 C in St. Catharines.
Although temperatures did climb above zero, the thermometer was to plunge overnight.
“That’s when things will go back down to sub-zero and the rain will be switching over to snow,” Cheng said.
A wind warning was to remain in place overnight and into today as gusts could reach as high as 90 km/h.
On Friday, temperatures will drop again to “below seasonal” and continue “well into next week,” said Cheng.
He said by next weekend, Feb. 23 and 24, Niagara will see seasonal norms, considered 0 C during the day and –7 C overnight.
Niagara’s public, Catholic and French school boards closed all sites Tuesday due to weather. It was the sixth day in 2019 that students were awakened with news that their day had been impacted by weather.
On Jan. 21, plus three consecutive days from Jan. 29 to 31, student transportation was cancelled but schools were open. On Feb. 7, buses did not run and schools were closed, also the case Tuesday in Niagara.
Niagara Regional Police Const. Phil Gavin said as of 3 p.m. 10 collisions had been reported on roads policed by the service.
In Port Colborne, a transport truck pulled down three utility poles on Kilally Street West after striking a drooping wire between Oakwood Street and West Side Road. There were no injuries.
CAA Niagara spokesperson Cody Cabral said its emergency roadside department anticipated about 250 calls for service by the end of the day, while noting “light traffic” across the region was noticed throughout the day due to cancellations and warnings.
CAA recommends drivers slow down and adjust to road conditions, stick to main roads, if possible, and to be extra cautious when driving on country roads.