'I’ve never seen anything like it': Spring storm dumps feet of snow for some, little for others

In a spring snowstorm that essentially paralysed much of southern Manitoba for a couple of days, snowfall amounts varied drastically throughout the province.

The latest numbers from Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), which the weather agency considers final for the days-long storm, shows a high of 82 centimeters of snow falling in Onanole to a low of 13 cm in Miami and Woodlands.

Killarney and Selkirk reported 60 and 45 centimeters of snow respectively with Winnipeg receiving somewhere between 25-35 cm.

Initial forecasts by ECCC predicted snowfalls of 30-50 cm of snow for most areas, with localized snowfalls having the potential to be much higher.

In a video posted to Facebook from Wasagaming on Thursday, located about five kilometers north of Onanole, waist deep snow made getting around the yard a challenge in itself.

The weather forced 30-year veteran long-haul truck driver Gord Havery off the road in Saskatchewan Thursday  after leaving Swift Current yesterday. He got as far as Balgonie, about 25 km east of Regina.

Semi in the median of Hwy1, west of Portage La Prairie on April 15 (Scott Anderson, CTV News)

Semi in the median of Hwy 1 west of Portage La Prairie, April 15 (Scott Andersson, CTV News)

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Havery. “The highway’s never been closed this long.”

Havery said the truck stop where he holed up to weather the storm was full, with at least 200 other vehicles, but now traffic is beginning to move again.

Balgonie truck stop full with semis waiting for Highway to open (Source: Gord Havery)

“It’s going to be a busy day. I’m hoping that every other driver knows that, you know, just because they’re late doesn’t mean they should be flying down the highway cause there is probably still some icy sections,” said Havery.

The storm also dumped quite a bit of snow south of the border.

Snow piled high against exterior house door in Minot, North Dakota (Source: Rosalie Rodgers)

Outside of Minot North Dakota residence front door (Source: Rosalie Rodgers)

Photos taken in Minot, North Dakota, about 80 kilometres south of the Manitoba border, show drifts piled high on roofs, vehicles and the ground forcing people to clear a path just to get out of the house.

According to the National Weather Service, northwest Minot received about three feet of snow.

In Bismark, they had the biggest snowfall event in the month of April with just over a foot and a half of snow breaking a 2013 record.

Snow surrounds truck in Minot, North Dakota (Source: Rosalie Rodgers)

Minot, North Dakota (Source: Rosalie Rodgers)