Travel excruciating due to record-breaking snowfall and wind gusts

The winter storm hitting the Ottawa-Gatineau region has already broken a century-old record for snow for Jan. 17, and thatsnow coupled with the wind will make travel difficult for most of the day.

Winter stormwarnings continue to cover the entire region after light snow started off the storm early Monday morning in Ottawa, getting heavier after sunrise.

The snowfall is expected to continue through the day with the worst in late morning until this evening, petering out some time after sunsetin the capital.

About 12centimetres fell in an hour at the Ottawa airport in the morning, according to CBC climatologist Ian Black.

The 43centimetres recorded there by 1 p.m. has already broken a one-dayrecord for snowfall on this date, Jan. 17, in Ottawa using data back to 1890. It's also more snow thanthe airport recorded for all 31 days of December.

The previous record was22.9 centimetres in 1920.

WATCH | Winter storm leaves Ottawa-Gatineau residents digging out

Winter storm leaves Ottawa-Gatineau residents digging out

3 years ago

Duration 1:02

A winter storm hit the region Monday, breaking a century-old record for the most snow in one day 43 centimetres had fallen at the Ottawa airport by 1 p.m.

Highway closures and advisories

Highway 7 has been closed between Highway 417 and Kaladarbecause Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say plows can't keep it safe and multiple vehicles are blocking the road.

Police are investigating a fatal crash between two large trucks and a passenger vehicle on Highway 417 around Maxvillearound 5:30 a.m. A closed stretch of the highway reopened around 2 p.m.

By mid-morning, OPP in Ottawa said there were serious visibility problems on major highways and warned against taking them, saying they couldn't guarantee help right away if drivers run into trouble.

In Ottawa, the forecast called for anywhere from 20to 30 centimetres of snow on Monday with wind gusts hitting40 or 50 kilometres an hour.

Further from the capital

The Belleville area is another withwidespread visibility problems and was the first to switch to a blizzard warning. All blizzard warnings have turned back into winter storm warnings.

Those problems wereexpected to improve, only slightly albeit,after11 a.m. and will continue to present an issueuntil Monday evening.

To the capital'snorth, Maniwaki'sforecast predicts 30 centimetres of snow. A bit less snow could fall along Lake Ontario compared to the capital.

Kingston Transit has cancelled many routes today.

The forecast has led to many cancellations, including all school buses for the region's boards, and the closure of some community vaccine clinics.

Ottawa's weather records don't include many cases of 30 or more centimetres of snow in a single day just 16 days going back to 1890. Only five days have records of 40 centimetres or more.

Monday'shigh of4 C is the warmest in a day in more than a week.

Cold temperatures return Tuesday, resembling the weather that hit the capital last week, with a high of 16 C in Ottawa matching Monday's overnight low. Wednesday could be warmer and bring more snow.