Snowfall, winter storm warnings in effect for southeastern Saskatchewan

Hopes for spring were dashed Wednesday morning for many Saskatchewan residents, as they woke up to a blanket of white that has led to mass highway closures in the southern region.

Snowfall or winter storm warnings issued for the entire southeast corner of Saskatchewan early Wednesday morning remain in effect.

The weather has resulted in terrible road conditions for much of the province, including highway closures south of Regina.

"This storm is well underway and sort of unfolding the way we thought it would," said Terri Lang, a warning preparedness meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), on Wednesday, adding that the storm is on par with those of past springs.

"There'll still be some snow lingering and some stronger winds through tomorrow, but they won't be as strong and the snow still won't be as heavy tomorrow."

A low pressure complex near the Canada-United States border is travelling east, bringing heavy snowfall to southeastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba, according to the ECCC website.

The weather agency expected snow to be heaviest Wednesday morning, but snow is expected to accumulate into Thursday.

Places under a snowfall warning in Saskatchewan, including Regina, could see 10 to 20 cm of snow and periods of blowing snow, with winds gusting up to 50 km/h.

Locations under a winter storm warning, such as the Carlyle-Oxbow-Carnduff-Bienfait-Stoughton area, may get 15 to 40 cm of snow, with winds up to 50 km/h, gusting to 70 km/h.

Highway closures

ECCC says the weather may make travel difficult and reduce visibility.

It suggests postponing non-essential travel, but those who are travelling should be prepared for quickly worsening conditions.

"I'm going to knock on wood right now because it has been very, very quiet at our call centre," CAA Saskatchewan's vice president of operations Peter Kreis, who is in charge of roadside assistance, said on CBC Radio's Morning Edition around 6:15 a.m. CST Wednesday.

"I'm hoping that people are heeding the warnings and staying put."

As of 1:45 p.m. CST, Saskatchewan's Highway Hotline map shows most of the province's roads are experiencing winter conditions, but most of the roads in the southeastern corner also have poor visibility.

Travel on some roads in southern Saskatchewan is not recommended.

Sections of highways 6 and 306 south of Regina are closed.

Highway 33, which ends in Regina, is closed. Highway 48, from Emerald Park just outside Regina to the intersection at Highway 47, near Kegworth, is also closed.

If someone gets stuck while driving, Kreis suggests sitting tight and, once in a while, exiting the vehicle to check that the exhaust is clear.

They could also call CAA roadside assistance at 1-800-222-4357, he said.

Weyburn, Estevan hit hard

The cities of Weyburn and Estevan in southern Saskatchewan appear to have taken some of the worst of the storm.

ECCC has already received reports of about 15 cm of snow in those areas, said Lang, the meteorologist.

All roads leading to Estevan had been closed, but conditions have changed enough where travel is possible but not recommended.

Most roads leading to Weyburn, Sask., are closed — including Highway 39, which is closed from just east of Moose Jaw, Sask., to Midale, Sask.

Stormchaser Jenny Hagan, who spoke to CBC News from Weyburn, said she had spoken with some travellers in the area. They told her the roads had whiteout conditions.

One motorist hit the ditch but was able to get out, she said. Also, a semi-truck trying to turn off the highway and park at the local Co-op gas station card lock got stuck, and needed a snow plow to help free it.

"They were expecting more of a similar system to last year," Hagan said, referring to the massive snowstorm that hit Saskatchewan last spring. "Last year, they closed the schools ahead of it, cancelled busses — [they] were really prepared. This time around, that stuff didn't happen off the hop."

Estevan Mayor Roy Ludwig said he hopes the worst of the storm is over.

"We're accustomed to fairly major [weather] events and we tend to be prepared for that because of the past history," Ludwig said.

"We're always not too far away from being ready for any eventuality."

Stormy weather rolled through Wednesday morning, he said. At the time he spoke with CBC News, the snow had cleared slightly, but there were still strong winds.

Regina crews in storm mode

The City of Regina is in storm mode, with road crews focusing on thoroughfares with higher speed limits and traffic volumes, as well as emergency routes, said Tyler Bien, manager of seasonal operations.

Storm mode means crews are working around the clock applying ice control and plowing where needed, Bien said.

"We're fully staffed up. We're ready for this snow to come, and we're more of less dealing with this as it comes right now," he said.

The city will monitor the weather and re-assess its response as it sees fit, he said. Once the storm is over, the city will come up with a clean-up plan.