RED DEER COUNTY – Weather conditions in Red Deer County and other locations on Tuesday resulting in numerous collisions were expected to dissipate overnight after a blowing snow advisory was issued in the afternoon for the area.
Blowing snow began to develop late on the afternoon Jan. 21, an Environment and Climate Change Canada weather alert issued at 3:15 p.m. for the area said.
Among the areas of Alberta included in the blowing snow advisory were Red Deer County near Penhold, Innisfail, Bowden, Elnora, Lousana, Delburne, Pine Lake, Spruce View, Red Lodge Provincial Park and Sylvan Lake.
A special weather advisory for blowing snow is issued when blowing snow, caused by winds of at least 30 kilometres an hour (km/h) is expected to reduce visibility to 800 metres or less for at least three hours.
“Winds gusting up to 80 km/h, combined with snow at times will reduce visibility in blowing snow. Conditions will improve overnight,” the afternoon advisory said.
Just after 6 p.m., RCMP in central and northern Alberta advised the public that road conditions were “extremely bad,” specifically in areas around Edmonton and in Leduc, Wetaskiwin, Camrose County, Maskwacis and Ponoka.
“RCMP is reporting whiteout conditions with severe wind. Visibility is extremely poor in many locations,” police said in the Jan. 21evening press release.
At the time, police said as a result of these weather conditions, RCMP were actively responding to multiple collisions and reports of vehicle rollovers along Highway 2 between Red Deer and Leduc.
"Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. A blowing snow advisory was issued this afternoon by Environment Canada for this region of Alberta," police said.
