School closings & accidents

We are still under a freezing rain warning at 9am. it is 0C in the city with steady freezing drizzle. Roads are very slowly improving but travel remains slow and dangerous in places especially off island. I took the photo above showing the salting and ice in the West Island of Montreal. Buses and public transit remains very slow and many are late for work. Most schools are closed.

I thought I had lots of stairs to salt. A worker salts the steps in Point Claire. All photos from ValleyWX.


ALL REGIONS: Freezing Rain Warning and Winter Weather Advisories

Freezing rain has been falling across the region since 4am this morning. Roads are slick and in many cases closed. The Montreal Transit Corporation has pulled most buses off the road and over 100 schools are now closed. The 640 north of Montreal is closed. There are literally hundreds of accidents, most minor. The 20 west of Montreal towards Ontario is blocked by an overturned truck and closed at Valleyfield. Laval has also taken there buses off the road. We remain below freezing at Montreal with -1C at the moment. Radar is showing another batch of precipitation moving in from the west. Winds will increase from the west and southwest at 40-70km/h. We should warm above freezing by mid morning.

School Buses are cancelled as well across most of Eastern Ontario, including Ottawa and the Valley as well as Cornwall, SD & G and Leeds and Grenville. The schools are open.

All I can tell you first hand is my street was salted in the last hour. I have not ventured out yet but will do so soon and update the blog when I get to work. The entire landscape is one shiny, icy layer.

Once the precipitation ends in the region skies will break and then we await the arrival of a potent arctic front that will usher in colder air with snow flurries and squalls later tonight and Saturday. The snow will be heavy in the lee of the Great Lakes with as much as 1 foot (30cm) in the most persistent bands. Here in Montreal and along the St. Lawrence Valley up to 5 cm may fall Saturday.