Snowfall a taste of what’s to come this weekend

There’s a lot more snow on the way.

After a dumping of snow hit Niagara Wednesday, leading to increased fender- benders on slippery roads, Environment Canada meteorologist Geoff Coulson said to expect more of the same for the next four days.

Coulson said Niagara’s northern communities were hit with the worst of the snowfall Wednesday, with as much as 15 centimetres falling over St. Catharines by the time it cleared up.

But in communities to the south, Coulson said only about half as much snow was expected.

He said the wind blowing in from the north across Lake Ontario added to the accumulation in Niagara communities along the lake shore.

Niagara Regional Police Const. Phil Gavin said the weather contributed to an increased number of collisions on Niagara roads.

“From midnight ’ til now, we have responded to 28 motor vehicle collisions,” Gavin said early Wednesday afternoon. “That number is higher than normal, and the weather conditions likely played a role in the increased number.”

He said police are asking people to drive according to conditions of the road and “not the speed limit,” and to keep road conditions in mind when judging stopping distance.

Municipalities across the region also asked motorists to keep parked vehicles off of streets while efforts were underway to plow roads.

Coulson said the latest snowfall was the first of several storm systems heading our way.

“We’re in a fairly active storm track, seeing systems coming in from the upper plains from the U. S. and from the American southwest,” he said.

“There’s a possibility of more accumulating snow starting Thursday night into Friday, and another system that may come in on Saturday and linger into Sunday.”

Tonight’s snowfall could dump at least another 10 cm of the white stuff on the region.

“We may see more as far as special weather statements being issued for the peninsula, once forecasters get a better sense about what this next one could bring,” Coulson said.

But the sun should shine again early next week, and temperatures are expected to increase in the week to come.

“We’ve been a little colder than normal for the past few days and we’re looking at temperatures getting back to more seasonal values.”

JULIE JOCSAK/ STANDARD STAFF People watch as passing storm clouds give way to a beautiful winter sunset at Lakeside Park Beach in Port Dalhousie. Mother Nature gave Niagara a good dumping of snow on Wednesday, and more is in the weekend forecast.