Environment Canada has issued a warning about a storm that is pushing its way into the region and is expected to bring freezing rain and slick driving conditions just in time for Wednesday morning’s commute.
According to Environment Canada, snow is expected to begin near or after midnight Tuesday and may fall fairly heavily before temperatures warm and turn the snow to ice pellets and eventually freezing rain early Wednesday morning. Snow and ice pellet accumulations are expected to be in the five-to-10-centimetre range and will be accompanied by reduced visibility caused by blowing snow.
Environment Canada said the freezing rain will likely last for a few hours Wednesday morning before changing to rain around mid-day as temperatures climb above the freezing mark.
The forecast high for Wednesday is 9 C, which is about average for mid-April in Ottawa.
The latest mild spell, which began Monday, turned the Rideau Canal’s ice to slop Sunday afternoon. It is expected to freeze again later in the week as the temperatures drop, but skating conditions remain uncertain for now.
The normal highs and lows for this time of year are -6 C and -15 C in Ottawa. The actual average for this January: -3.2 C and -12.7 C. The weather office reports that at the Ottawa International Airport there’s a mere 12 centimetres of snow on the ground. At the same time there are warnings from the National Capital Commission of high water in the Ottawa and Gatineau rivers.
With unseasonably warm temperatures Monday, a couple of Winterlude events had to be closed down, including skating on the Rideau Canal.
Tristan Seely, 12, (blue t-shirt) joins his fellow students from Element High School, a private school in one of the new buildings at Lansdowne, work on their snow sculpture in just t-shirts thanks to the mild temperature. They hope to have their octopus sculpture finished by Saturday when the judging takes place.
Unseasonably warm temperatures made massive puddles that some tiptoed around and others ploughed through outside Ottawa City Hall next to the Winterlude grounds.
The storm that is expected to hit on Wednesday, bringing more mild temperatures, is centred over Kansas this morning and it is projected to track towards the Great Lakes where it will gain some momentum and then cross northeastern Ontario on Wednesday.
The main impacts of this wintery mix will be poor driving conditions. Significant ice accumulations are not expected, although some localized power outages are possible due to the combination of windy conditions and freezing rain.
Environment Canada warned drivers to adjust their driving habits and to leave early to allow for any traffic that may accumulate as adjust their speed to better contend with the crummy weather conditions expected.
Roger Wills snaps a few pics of the ice sculptures on display at Confederation Park. The above-freezing temperatures have caused officials to cover up some of the Winterlude ice statues to keep them from melting over the next few days, but many were still on display to enjoy.
It was a beautiful day for a walk in Dick Bell Park.
George Escher enjoyed the beautiful day for a walk in Dick Bell Park.
It was a beautiful day for a walk in Dick Bell Park on Monday.
It was a beautiful day for a walk in Dick Bell Park.
With files from Tom Spears
