Environment Canada has issued a Winter Storm Warning, and effective immediately, the City of Ottawa is declaring a Significant Weather Event that will remain in effect until further notice.
What is a Significant Weather Event?
A Significant Weather Event (SWE) is declared when Environment Canada issues a Weather Hazard when weather that is either occurring or approaching has the potential to pose significant danger to users of Ottawa’s transportation network.
The intent of declaring a SWE is to notify the public that because of the forecast and/or current weather conditions, it will take longer than usual to restore the transportation network to expected conditions and that caution is to be exercised when using sidewalks, roads, and the winter cycling network.
Forecast and Conditions
Snow is expected to start this evening and intensify overnight. Peak snowfall rates are expected to exceed 5 centimetres per hour with 30 to 40 centimetres forecasted before gradually tapering off on Thursday afternoon. Winds will be up to 30 kilometres per hour, gusting to 50, causing blowing and drifting snow in open areas.
Travel should be avoided as rapidly accumulating snow will make conditions on the transportation network difficult to navigate and road closures are possible.
The City’s Response
Once accumulation begins, all resources will be deployed and crews will focus on treating and clearing sidewalks, priority roads, bus routes, the Transitway and the winter cycling network. Our Parks Maintenance partners will also be out in full force, clearing City facility parking lots (with a priority on Fire and Paramedic stations) as well as lots serving recreation centres.
By declaring a Significant Weather Event, we know that we will not be meeting our winter maintenance timeline objectives, and snow clearing and treating operations will take longer than usual.
Back-to-back daytime parking bans are being called
There will be two back-to-back Winter Weather Parking Bans called. The first will be in effect from 10 am to 7 pm on Thursday, February 13 and the second will be in effect from 10 am to 7 pm on Friday, February 14.
During this time, all vehicles must be removed from the roadway – unless you have an eligible parking permit or are accessing parking in our exempted commercial main streets.
Where to Park in our Ward
- Greenboro Park and Ride
- Diane Deans Greenboro Community Centre (back parking lot)
OC Transpo will implement a Severe Storm Schedule
OC Transpo is implementing a Severe Storm Schedule for buses beginning Thursday, February 13, due to the current severe winter storm forecast for Ottawa.
What this means for customers starting on Thursday, February 13:
- Bus service will follow a reduced schedule in order to provide safer and more reliable service during the winter storm and to allow the entire network to recover more quickly.
- Most routes in the network will be affected by these schedule adjustments. Many routes will have reduced frequencies and modified trip times, and select routes will not run.
- Customers are strongly encouraged to use the Travel Planner, double-check their route before they travel and expect delays.
- Many articulated buses will be replaced with 40-foot and double-decker buses to improve service reliability.
- O-Train and Para Transpo service levels will not be reduced, but customers should still plan ahead, expect delays and exercise increased caution when boarding and exiting vehicles and at bus stops and station platforms.
The Severe Storm Schedule does not apply to O-Train service, which will run on a normal schedule.
I want to thank the community in advance for their patience and support as our city crews work to keep our streets, sidewalks, and pathways clear. This storm will take a few days to clean up, so please expect longer than usual wait times for snow removal on residential streets in particular.
My team and I will be available via email at Jessica.bradley@ottawa.ca. Due to the weather, we will be closing the ward office on February 13th.
Please stay safe and stay home if possible during the worst of the storm.
