Calgary digs out of record-setting snowstorm as bus route detours stay in effect

There's no need to check the record books to see that a very considerable amount of snow fell on the city of Calgary Saturday. A look out the window will do.

But a glance at the records doesn't disappoint.

Eric Van Lochem, an operational meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says Saturday's snowfall amounts vary, depending on which side of the city is being measured and who is doing the measuring.

"We did get some unofficial reports in Calgary that were perhaps as high as 25 or 30 cm. A lot of those were sourced from social media reports," Van Lochem told CBC News.

"But the Calgary airport itself received 17.8 cm."

That was the accumulation recorded for the calendar day of Nov. 23. And that is a new record, beating the previous mark of 13.2 cm set in 2018.

"We beat the old record for Nov. 23 by quite a significant margin," Van Lochem said.

It was a record-setting day for snow depth as well, with 24 cm of snow measured on the ground Saturday. That beats the old record of 20 cm, which was set in 1966 and equalled in 1996.

The snow depth takes into account what was accumulated on Friday as well.

Almost 300 collision calls

According to the Calgary Police Service, in the period stretching between Friday's morning commute and midnight on Saturday, officers responded to 208 non-injury collisions on the city's roads. Another 27 collisions resulted in injuries, all of which were minor in nature.

There were an additional 53 hit-and-runs reported with no injuries resulting, and six hit-and-runs with minor injuries.

Sgt. Sean Sherman is with the Calgary police traffic response unit.

He told CBC News that it had been a long time since he saw a snowstorm as big as the one on Saturday, adding it was fortunate it didn't occur on a weekday, when there would have been much more traffic on the roads.

While the collision numbers weren't as high as they could have been because of the reduced volume, Sgt. Sherman says he still saw drivers travelling faster than they should and using the fast lane when they are driving slower.

"It just causes a lot more chaos," he said.

Sherman says there appear to be fewer tire-related issues during snowstorms lately, something he attributes to a change in habit byCalgary motorists.

"I think it's becoming more widely accepted by people to put winter tires on their vehicle," he said.

But when it comes to driving in harsh winter conditions, he returns to the basic message Calgarians hear every time there's a major storm if you don't have to go out somewhere, stay home.

In a news release Sunday morning, the city said it did not anticipate the need to call for a snow route parking ban.

Spokesperson Chris McGeachy said the city has activated its priority snow plan and the focus for city crews will be on completing maintenance work, including plowing and applying materials on Calgary's busiest routes, like Crowchild Trail, Memorial Drive and Glenmore Trail.

City crews will also focus on clearing pedestrian infrastructure.

He asked Calgarians to ensure sidewalks are clear of snow and ice and to consider helping a neighbour in need by shoveling their sidewalk.

City bylaws say sidewalks should be cleared 24 hours after snowfall ends.

Calgary transit has activated snow detours, which are expected to stay in effect until the start of service on Monday.

Meteorologist Van Lochem said Saturday's storm is connected to the atmospheric river that hit the coast of B.C. earlier in the week.

"It's all part and parcel of the same weather pattern, if you will, but not the exact same system," he said, explaining that weather systems tend to be torn apart as they cross the Rocky Mountains, before reforming as new low pressure systems on the Alberta side.

Van Lochem says it's possible Calgary will see a few more centimetres of snow before the end of the month, but he doesn't see any more significant snowfall amounts in the forecast.

"Things are going to quiet down here over Alberta for the next few days, but it's going to remain cold, probably through to the end of November," he said.

"For all intents and purposes, this is the start of winter."