Weather conditions prompt highway closures, bus and school cancellations in Manitoba
A number of Manitoba highways are closed, and schools and buses are cancelled on Thursday morning due to poor winter driving conditions, icy roads and reduced visibility.
According to the Manitoba government, the following highways are closed:
- Highway 3 from North Junction of Highway 34 to Carman;
- Highway 13, from Carman to Portage la Prairie;
- Highway 14, from Highway 3 to Highway 30;
- Highway 23 from Highway 3 to Highway 34;
- Highway 32 from Highway 14 to the US Border; and
- Highway 201 from Highway 32 to Highway 30.
The Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM) announced buses are cancelled for the following schools: École Saint-Joachim, École Saint-Lazare, École Régionale Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, École Gilbert-Rosset, École Pointe-des-Chênes, and École La Source Shilo.
All schools are closed in the Rolling River School Division and Fort La Bosse School Division.
Afternoon bus service is cancelled for region A and B schools in the Prairie Rose School Division. This includes Miami, Roland, Carman, Elm Creek, Elie, St. François Xavier, and St. Eustache. The school division is asking parents and guardians to pick their kids up at school.
Garden Valley School Division also cancelled all of its afternoon bus routes, and said schools will remain open until all students are picked up.
These closures and cancellations come as a special weather statement remains in effect for southern Manitoba.
According to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), southern Manitoba received eight to 15 centimetres (cm) of snow since Tuesday afternoon.
In Winnipeg specifically, snowfall totals ranged from nine to 13 cm; however, there are no official totals as of yet.
Those in southeastern Manitoba can expect a band of heavier snow on Thursday, with some freezing drizzle mixed in. Western Manitoba is expected to have received another five to 10 cm of snow on Wednesday night.
By the weekend, some southern Manitoba areas will have received upwards of 20 to 30 centimetres of snow. More information on the snowfall can be found online.
Weather conditions are expected to improve Friday and into Saturday.
CAA AHEAD OF SCHEDULE SO FAR THROUGH STORM
As the snow keeps coming CAA has been busy helping people get out of a pinch.
As of 4 p.m., CAA said there had been 270 calls, with about half of them requiring tows.
"The average call volume for a day is 300-350, so we are ahead of that schedule as of now," a spokesperson said in an email to CTV News.
The average wait time for help is 45 minutes.
CAA notes it will take longer and call volumes are worse outside city limits.
People are being reminded to not travel on closed highways as CAA tow trucks can't legally drive on closed roads to rescue people.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Inside Canada's chaotic response to avian flu
A CFIA official is calling it the 'largest animal health emergency that this country has ever had to face.' A joint IJF/CTV News investigation looks into Canada's response to the bird flu pandemic, and how it's ravaged the country's farms.
What Donald Trump's election victory could mean for Canada
Following president-elect Donald Trump's decisive election victory, there are sure to be significant knock-on effects for Canada. Here's a look at the different areas in which a second Trump presidency may affect Canadians.
Cuba left reeling after Category 3 hurricane ravages island and knocks out power grid
Cuba was left reeling Thursday after a fierce Category 3 hurricane ripped across the island and knocked out the country's power grid.
Influencer is banned from future NYC marathons for bringing a camera crew to last weekend's race
A social media influencer from Texas was disqualified from last weekend's New York City Marathon and banned from future competitions after he ran the race with a camera crew on e-bikes in tow.
Sleepy during the day? You may be at higher risk for a pre-dementia syndrome, study finds
If you find yourself sleepy during your daily activities in your older age, you may need to consider it more than an inconvenience — since the fatigue may indicate you’re at higher risk for developing a condition that can lead to dementia, a new study has found.
Kamala Harris concedes: Here's what she said in her speech
Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris conceded the U.S. election to Republican Donald Trump Wednesday afternoon, telling her supporters that her 'heart is full.'
Canada's health-care spending expected to outpace economy in 2024: CIHI
The Canadian Institute for Health Information says health-care spending in Canada is projected to reach a new high in 2024.
Newfoundland hockey player suspended, banned from local arena after off-ice fight with fan
A combination of a thrown stick and thrown punches have given a senior hockey player in Newfoundland a three-game suspension and an indefinite ban from one of his league's six arenas.
The world's 10 richest people got a record US$64 billion richer from Trump's re-election
Wednesday wasn't just a good day for Donald Trump. The wealth of the world’s 10 richest people also soared by a record amount, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaire Index.