Ottawa sets snowfall record as storm snarls commute
TOM SPEARS, OTTAWA CITIZEN
Published on: February 16, 2016 | Last Updated: February 16, 2016 11:11 PM EST
By the time nine-year-old Philip Lungu arrived home from school Tuesday evening, chilled and hungry and wet, his half-hour bus commute had stretched into a four-hour storm-delayed odyssey.
He was one of thousands of Ottawans affected as the snow — and the snowfall records — fell throughout the day.
Some braved deep driveways, others navigated choked sidewalks, and many — including the youngster — had their transit rides extended considerably.
“This is unacceptable,” said Elena Lungu, Philip’s worried mother, told the Citizen before his arrival at 7:30 on Tuesday. “He’s a nine-year-old boy, all by himself, and he’s cold and hungry.
“I trusted OC Transpo to deliver my son in a reasonable time even with this storm.”
Philip was in good hands throughout the trip — his driver on route 97 parked the boy next to the door, and a fellow passenger lent his cellphone for calls to mom.
OC Transpo officials, meanwhile, expressed regret at the delays at the “challenging driving conditions.”
“During all severe weather events, OC Transpo works in close partnership with traffic management, the Ottawa Police Service, public works and other city departments and services, in an effort to minimize transit service disruption and to assist all commuters,” said Troy Charter, the assistant general manager of transit operations.
That commute now a chilly memory, Ottawa’s road crews and residents alike faced a massive cleanup Wednesday morning after Tuesday’s snowstorm set a one-day record for snowfall in the nation’s capital, approaching 50 centimetres by late evening.
The old record of 40.6 cm, set in 1947, tumbled mid-afternoon when the snowfall was at its heaviest, according to Environment Canada. The records come from Ottawa International Airport, dating back to the 1930s.
By 5 p.m., as the storm’s centre began to move out of the region, 46 cm of new snow had been recorded at the airport. That number was expected to increase through Tuesday evening as the snow lightened up and Environment Canada lifted its winter storm warning.
The record comes with a caveat, however: Two earlier records were set at the Central Experimental Farm — 55.9 cm in January 1894, and 54.1 cm in November 1912. But only the airport numbers count as official Ottawa records.
David Phillips, the senior climatologist at Environment Canada, called the storm “a sopping wet kind of system” that has brought moisture up from the Gulf of Mexico.
The system brought chaos to Ottawa-area roads and throughout eastern Ontario. Ottawa Police reported nearly triple the normal number of collisions on city streets — 120 accidents in the 12-hour period between 5 a.m. and 5 p.m. None was considered serious.
Included in the toll were two tractor-trailer collisions: one that jackknifed at the Canaan Road entrance to Highway 174, and another at Carling Avenue and Bronson.
The City of Ottawa ordered an overnight winter street parking ban between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. Only vehicles with parking permits can remain on the streets, but parking is also free at any city-owned garage.
Ottawa fire officials reported a hectic day of responding to collisions and car fires, and asked that residents avoid piling snow on fire hydrants.
The Ottawa Senators game against the Buffalo Sabres at Canadian Tire Centre went ahead as scheduled, and the Senators decided to reward fans who managed to make it to the game with an offer of 50 per cent off tickets for either Thursday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes or the March 15 game against the Minnesota Wild. And fans who couldn’t get to Tuesday night’s game will be offered a free ticket to either of those games, the team announced.
School buses were cancelled across the region, and families were urged to check their school and board websites to see if schools will reopen Wednesday.
Over the course of the day OC Transpo reported delays of up to an hour or more on many routes. The O-Train was down for about an hour in the morning.
Many voiced their displeasure on Twitter during the evening commute.
“Can we get some buses to Fallowfield station? There are people stuck there. No local buses to taxis,” Donnie Garrow posted at about 8 p.m.
Bruce Gordon was concerned about his spouse. “My wife, who needs a cane, is stranded downtown. My street completely snowed in. No way out. Snowploughs not working.”
And Megan Bowers complained: “My trip has been 3.5 hours so far. We are now pulled over … Can someone let us know what is happening?”
At the Ottawa International Airport, officials reported dozens of flight delays and cancellations, but emphasized that “flights are still coming and going.”
“Many thanks to our crews — they’re battling fierce snow and keeping many flights moving,” airport officials said on Twitter in the early evening.
Airport authorities urged people wanting to catch a flight or meet someone to check their website.
The city’s much-hyped Where Is My Plow application was down for much of the storm, although city snow removal crews were certainly visible on the streets. Road services crews were focusing on plowing Highway 174, the transit routes and arterial and collector roads.
When trying to use the app on Tuesday morning, residents had noticed a warning that stated it “would not be available for this weather event.”
The app returned later in the day, when plowing moved to residential streets.
“This is a significant event,” said Luc Gagné, the city’s manager of roads and services. “It appears there will be more snow and it will be more intense than the storm on Dec. 29. It’s going to take a while to get all the streets cleared, but we will have all of our resources deployed and we will get around as quickly as possible.”
The Dec. 29 snowfall, the last major winter storm to hit Ottawa, left some residents unhappy with the time it took for the city to clear the roads. Gagné said that this time the city would be working to improve its response time.
“We’ve ensured that we will be on top of it. We’re going to hit the storm as closely as possible. When the event starts, we will be deploying all our resources.”
Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Keith Egli, chair of council’s transportation committee, said he hadn’t received any reports from public works about snags in the snow-clearing operations.
“Things are going as well as they can under the circumstances,” Egli said late Tuesday afternoon.
The city’s priority is keeping the major arterial roads clear before tackling the residential roads, he said. “We have all the resources out there.”
While Egli might not have received complaints about the city’s operations, residents were certainly discussing the city’s efforts.
“Drove in from Kanata to downtown Ottawa and saw lots of mess due to snow, but no plows,” said Kanata resident and former Ottawa councillor Richard Cannings. “Did not see one plow … Lots of cars in ditches.”
An RCMP officer stands on guard on Parliament Hill during a winter storm Tuesday. DARREN BROWN/ POSTMEDIA
Canada Post Corp. warned that the severe weather would hinder deliveries until further notice.
Although there were no school closings in the major school boards, Lisgar Collegiate was closed due to burst water pipes.
A cyclist and pedestrian cross Elgin Street. ERROL MCGIHON / POSTMEDIA
Two members of the Canadian Forces walk along Laurier Avenue. ERROL MCGIHON / POSTMEDIA
Heather Kirby stops to enjoy the snow on her way home from the gym Tuesday. 20-40 cm of snow is expected to fall by Tuesday night in Ottawa. TONY CALDWELL / POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Feb 16, 2016. A few skaters did not let the snow stop them from skating on the canal Tuesday. 20-40 cms of snow is expected to fall by Tuesday night in Ottawa. Tony Caldwell TONY CALDWELL / POSTMEDIA NETWORK
A overnight snow storm caused school busses to be cancelled and roads to be slippery in Ottawa Tuesday Feb 16, 2016. 20-40 cm of snow is expected to fall by Tuesday night in Ottawa. TONY CALDWELL /POSTMEDIA NETWORK
Tuesday Feb 16, 2016. Crews worked in the snow on Queen Eizabeth in Ottawa TONY CALDWELL /POSTMEDIA NETWORK
An overnight snow storm caused school bus cancellations and slippery roads in Ottawa on Tuesday. TONY CALDWELL / POSTMEDIA
An RCMP officer stands on guard on Parliament Hill during a winter storm Tuesday. DARREN BROWN /POSTMEDIA
People commute through downtown Ottawa during a winter storm Tuesday February 16, 2016. DARREN BROWN / POSTMEDIA
People commute through downtown Ottawa during a winter storm Tuesday February 16, 2016. DARREN BROWN / POSTMEDIA
People commute through downtown Ottawa during a winter storm Tuesday February 16, 2016. DARREN BROWN / POSTMEDIA
People commute through downtown Ottawa during a winter storm Tuesday. DARREN BROWN /POSTMEDIA
"I just got back from Punta Cana... to this!" exclaimed Dianne Sekeres, as she trudged down unplowed sidewalks to clean her car on Manotick's Main Street. JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA
Will Milk walks over a bridge near Bell High School en route to help his father dig out of the storm. None of the sidewalks in the area were plowed yet, so walking on the roadway was the only way to get around in the morning.JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA
A man shields his face from the wind as he makes his way from Bayshore Mall Tuesday morning. The sidewalks hadn't yet been plowed in the area. JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA
A woman with grocery bags trudges down an unplowed sidewalk in the Bayshore Mall area, looking exhausted from the trek. JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA
An elderly man tries to dig the roadway out, blocking his car off Carling Avenue Tuesday. JULIE OLIVER /POSTMEDIA
Jarren Miehm helps out an Ottawa Community Housing van stuck in a roadway off Ritchie Street. JULIE OLIVER / POSTMEDIA
An articulated bus blocks afternoon commuters on Alta Vista Drive after it got stuck in the snow as the region deals with a major snow storm. WAYNE CUDDINGTON / OTTAWA CITIZEN
A car drives through a furrow left by a plow on Walkley Road at Bank Street as the region deals with a major snow storm. WAYNE CUDDINGTON / OTTAWA CITIZEN
A West Jet aircraft taxis on the runway while an Air Canada plane loads passengers as the region deals with a major snow storm. WAYNE CUDDINGTON / OTTAWA CITIZEN
Car stuck on Briggs Avenue off of MacFarlane Road. ERROL MCGIHON / POSTMEDIA
Cross-countrty skiing was a good way to move around on Harmer Avenue South. JEAN LEVAC /OTTAWA CITIZEN
Sledding was a good way to move around on Harmer Avenue South. JEAN LEVAC / OTTAWA CITIZEN
An OC Transpo route 135 bus took a wild trip on Wildcliff Way in Orleans on Tuesday evening. MATT FORD /READER PHOTO
An OC Transpo route 135 bus took a wild trip on Wildcliff Way in Orleans on Tuesday evening. MATT FORD /READER PHOTO
At 2 p.m., Algonquin College announced the college’s Ottawa and Perth campuses would shut due to the storm. The school noted they were not at full operation because it is spring reading week, “however, this closure does mean the cancellation of some continuing education classes in the evening, as well as any on-campus activities.” Employees were sent home.
Community Christian School and Blyth Academy closed, and all Early Years playgroups and programs in Lanark County were cancelled.
Also, transportation was cancelled for the Ottawa-Carleton Association for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Special Runs.
Outside of Ottawa, the weather forced the closure of the Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit, a network of doctors’ offices with locations in Kemptville, Brockville, Smiths Falls, Gananoque and Almonte. The organization, which oversees the operations of the five medical clinics, said the weather posed a hazard to its staff and clients. It said it would reopen its locations on Wednesday.
With files from Jon Willing
VITO PILIECI, OTTAWA CITIZEN[/URL]
