Waterworld: Flooded streets, sidewalks frustrate commuters

Tuesday morning's unseasonably warm weather melted a lot of snow and ice in Ottawa, turning street corners into little lakes and causing headaches for commuters.

Warm morning made for a tough commute in slushy, slippery conditions

CBC News Posted: Feb 05, 2019 12:24 PM EST | Last Updated: February 5, 2019

The melt before the freeze

6 years ago

0:33

Warm temperatures melted a lot of snow and ice in Ottawa on Tuesday morning, but it's set to freeze again when temperatures drop suddenly late Tuesday afternoon.

Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists all faced a tough commute Tuesday as a February thaw turned Ottawa's roads into rivers and street corners intolakes.

The warmth peaked at 5 C early Tuesday morning, melting snow and ice.

But it won't last long. The temperature is expected to drop to9C Tuesday afternoon, with the wind chill making it feel more like16, meaning everything that's melted will freeze again.

City crews were out Tuesday clearing blocked storm drains and catch basins, and areasking residents to pitchin to help drain roads.

A car plows through a deep puddle in Ottawa on Feb. 5, 2019. (Stu Mills/CBC)

Deep puddles were common on Ottawa roads after a winter thaw on Feb. 5, 2019. (Stu Mills/CBC)

The first photo is along Scott streets multi use path and the second is on Albert near Bronson this morning around 7:45. #ottawa #ottnews #ottweather pic.twitter.com/nPQaoifHEY
—@OttSnowCyclist

@CBCOttawa Being in the low lying part of the street we recognize the value of keeping catchbasins clear. But wish @ottawacity could have more crews on the side streets for days like this. Im draining the whole neighbourhood. @AltaVistaWard18 pic.twitter.com/CuHgxQCTxU
—@Robert2Ready

Flooded street in #Barrhaven #Longfields after sudden change in temperature overnight from -5C yesterday to +6C today. @BlacksWeather @ctvottawa @CBCOttawa Freezing tonight and ice rink tomorrow? pic.twitter.com/jSnDmIwd18
—@GabeFin

Flooded streets after days of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain. All going to freeze this afternoon when temperature drops rapidly, -7 by 6pm! Going to make for some treacherous travel. Yikes! @BlacksWeather @ottawacity @JimWatsonOttawa #ottnews #Ottawa #Winter @weathernetwork pic.twitter.com/zMUnPCo61k
—@DanPershick

pic.twitter.com/uCaYKY5sd2
—@ikarencliche

My street looks the same! Happens every single thaw. The plows pass about a foot from the edge of the road, so inevitable the sewer grates are covered in large chunks of ice and snow. pic.twitter.com/HSqEm980Wf
—@mireilbrownhill

Trying to get to Tunneys Pasture stn early this am walkway was pure ice even where u had to wait for a bus pic.twitter.com/5D8Hb0nEdy
—@live_2_bike

Clearing the storm drain is not only a civic-minded thing to do but it is also #oddlysatisfying. #Ottawa #ottcity #Ottweather pic.twitter.com/yEiMSLxsMT
—@missfish

Or, sidewalks are already frozen. Glare ice on Prince of Wales, couldnt even walk 3 feet. Had to pay for an Uber to get to minimum wage job pic.twitter.com/RBOVjl8xl2
—@taviahls

If you have any pictures or video you want to share, be sure to tweet them to us @CBCOttawa or send us an email.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News

Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|

Waterworld: Flooded streets, sidewalks frustrate commuters

Warm morning made for a tough commute in slushy, slippery conditions

Related Stories