Friday Update: Early Autumn Snowfall

Weather

Saskatoon continues to deal with the first winter Weather Event of the year, however Environment Canada has ended its snowfall warning for Saskatoon and area.

Even so, Saskatoon experienced a few more flurries overnight.

As of Friday morning total snowfall was 30 cm.

Hurricane Matthew is posing challenges for forecasters creating some variability in weather prediction models.

In a briefing to City officials Friday morning, Environment Canada’s John Paul Cragg says Saskatoon and area could expect up to another 5 cm of snow. Cragg says this is likely to happen very early-to-mid Sunday morning with temperatures hovering around the freezing mark.

Because of the possible fluctuating temperature, any snowfall may turn to rain.

Cragg says we may also experience easterly winds over the same period Sunday at 20 Km/h gusting to 40 Km/h. 

Roadways & Operations

As a result of the Weather Event and with near melting temperatures, roads are wet, not icy.

Roadways expects any snow accumulation predicted for the holiday weekend to be very manageable.

Crews will remain working around the clock now until Tuesday.

Sanding crews will focus on high-priority trouble areas day and night, applying sand and salt as necessary.

For timely updates, check the snow and ice service alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and on Twitter by following @YXEServiceAlert.

In the interests of public safety, Roadways will focus efforts on improving road conditions. As a result, staff will monitor and minimize water ponding and surface drainage issues as the snow melts. Only emergency flooding areas will be monitored for now.

The Fall Sweep is tentatively delayed 1 week and Roadways is considering rescheduling to start Monday, October 17, weather dependent.  

Transportation

Signals: Crews have made one pass and cleared all snow-blocked signals. There is a crew checking problem areas today to see if anything needs to be done again. 

Signs: Crews continue to patrol and clear any blocked signage. The focus remains on stop and yield signs.

As always, be extra alert at intersections.

Saskatoon Light & Power

Wind will continue to be the main challenge for the City’s power company over the weekend and especially early Sunday morning.

At this point, SL&P crews are in clean-up mode collecting downed tree limbs or pruning back trees near lines.

Crews can manage any outages that occur from overloaded tree branches or other weather related factors.

To report a tree limb contacting or threatening a Saskatoon Light & Power service line, please call 306-975-2414.

For a SaskPower service line please call 306-310-2220.

Service Alerts with regular updates will continue to be issued if outages occur. They will provide information about the cause of the outage and the anticipated time for restoration. 

Construction & Design

To let concrete cure on the pedestrian overpass, a lane closure remains in effect for the curb lane on College Drive heading towards the University Bridge.

The early autumn snowfall has also presented City construction projects with some challenges. Specifically for anyone currently on temporary water service for water line replacement, the unseasonably cold temperatures have made it necessary for property owners to keep their taps on to prevent the temporary water lines from freezing.

Overall, most of the City’s construction projects are nearing completion or in the process of being closed for winter.

The impact this weather will have depends less on the amount of snow that fell, rather on the length of time the snow sticks around.

A few days of snow that quickly melts is the same as rain.

If we have enough warm, dry weather, work sites will dry up which means paving and other construction projects can continue.

Major Projects

Work on major projects continues including work on the Attridge Drive and Central Avenue intersection. Excavation at the northeast boulevard of Attridge Drive and Central Avenue is scheduled to remain ongoing through the entire weekend. Weather depending, line painting on Attridge Drive eastbound is scheduled for Sunday. 

Drivers are reminded the traffic accommodation through this intersection includes two westbound through lanes.

For drivers who typically use the right (curb) lane to travel through the intersection, please continue to use this lane and follow the signs and delineators; the right lane does not merge into the left lane at the intersection. More information is here.

Bolting of Span 4 of the Traffic Bridge is scheduled to proceed as planned through Sunday.

Earthworks for the south embankment of the Traffic Bridge will remain ongoing through the entire weekend, weather depending. 

Earthworks for the west embankment of the North Commuter Parkway bridge will remain ongoing through the entire weekend, weather depending.

Transit

Transit service is operating as regularly scheduled. Customers could experience delays should weather conditions worsen.

NOTE: Holiday operating hours are in effect for Monday, October 10, 2016. 

Customers are reminded to dress for the weather and to track their bus in real time through Transit App and Google Transit.  

Parks & Urban Forestry

Urban Forestry crews are responding to tree damage on a priority basis.

We presently have 100 calls and more coming in today.

2 aerial crews and 2 ground crews are responding to this work and will arrange assistance from contract crews if needed.

Parks received 3 urgent calls overnight to clear roads and sidewalks.

Horticulture staff continue their inspections and report damage in parks. This work is scheduled but keeping roadways, sidewalks and paths clear is the priority.

Until more of the snow melts, everyone is advised to be cautious near trees in parks and around the city.

To report damage to City-owned trees that have failed and are blocking roadways and sidewalks, please call 306-975-2890 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

After hours tree damage can be reported to the Saskatoon Customer Service line at 306-975-2476.

Trees on private property are the responsibility of the property owner and brush that is cleared as a result of private trees obstructing public sidewalks or roadways will be left on the adjacent private property for the owner to clean up.

Any elm branches must be disposed of at the Saskatoon landfill. 

For timely updates check the City website and snow and ice service alerts at saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and on Twitter by following @YXEServiceAlert.