By Haldimand Press Staff [masterslider id=”162″]
HALDIMAND — Haldimand County declared a Significant Weather Event January 17, 2022 at 12 a.m. as a winter storm approached the region. The snow began the night of January 16 and a blizzard warning the following morning from Environment Canada for Haldimand County warned of snowfalls between 30-50cm.
“If you don’t have to go out today, please do me a favour, please stay at home. Right now OPP officers are responding to some collisions with vehicles in the ditch,” said OPP Officer Ed Sanchuck in a video update Monday morning from a collision site in Norfolk.
He added, “Coming down to this call, visibility was extremely poor, at times visibility was zero.”
Locally and beyond, blowing snow was reducing visibility for those venturing outside. Blizzard warnings are issued when widespread reduced visibilities of 400 metres or less are expected for at least four hours. Environment Canada noted that heavy snowfall rates would be between 6-10cm per hour Monday morning with winds reaching up to 60km/hr. The County asked residents to follow Environment Canada advice and postpone non-essential travel until conditions improved.
The OPP added that those who did need to drive should slowdown, turn all exterior vehicle lights on, and clear all the snow from the vehicle’s windows. Environment Canada noted that anyone who becomes stranded should remain in their vehicle, as it offers protection from the cold and is easier to spot than a person walking.
“During a significant weather event, residents are advised to use extra caution and are reminded that standard timelines for clearing roads and sidewalks may not be met,” said the release from Haldimand County. “The County’s winter control crews are prepared and ready to respond to this winter storm event, however, with the expected snowfall accumulation, residents are asked to be patient and allow staff time to clear main arterial roadways by priority.”
Winter control staff have approximately 1500kms of roadways to clear and were “working as quickly as possible to plow all routes.”
Due to the snow expected over that morning, there was no garbage/recycling curbside collection on Monday, January 17. Residents whose curbside collection day is normally Monday are asked to hold on to their garbage/recycling until next week (Monday, January 24).
Additionally, Student Transportation Services of Brant Haldimand Norfolk announced that all zones and schools were “closed as a result of the inclement weather and hazardous road conditions.”
A plow priority route map and winter parking/snow removal by-law information can be found at HaldimandCounty.ca. Storm-related updates for Haldimand County are posted there and shared via Facebook and Twitter for residents.
