Deep snow blankets the town

Cutline: Norman Fiss and Rose Marie Page-Kirk outside Binkley’s Funeral Service on Friday afternoon.

By Marcus Day

Maple Creek News

About a foot of snow was dumped in parts of Maple Creek on Friday and Saturday morning.

It led to a busy two days of clearing snow from streets, businesses and homes.

People wielding shovels became a frequent sight throughout the town.

Fortunately, the snow’s soft texture initially made snow-clearing relatively easy, and lessened the danger of vehicles becoming stuck.

The heavy snowfall prompted a yellow-level warning for southwest Saskatchewan, including the RMs of Maple Creek, Reno, Frontier and White Valley.

Total accumulations of 15-20 centimetres were expected, according to the warning. Higher elevations on the north-facing parts of the Cypress Hills were particularly vulnerable.

Travel became hazardous, with near-zero visibility reported for some areas. Motorists were advised to turn on their lights, slow down and maintain a safe following distance.

A blowing snow advisory put in place on Thursday, February 26, for Regina and more than 100 RMs was lifted for most communities on Friday.

With Saskatchewan having a 26,500 kilometre-plus provincial highway network, the Highway Hotline offered a key tool for commuters throughout the snowstorm. Most of the information on the hotline comes from equipment operators and snowplow crews across the province.

It is recommended that drivers check the Highway Hotline before leaving home and before leaving their destination.

By Saturday afternoon, conditions had markedly improved in Maple Creek. It was mostly sunny, with the temperature hovering at around -12.

Through the rest of this week, daytime temperatures are expected to be in plus-territory, ranging from 2 degrees to 7 degrees. Plenty of sunshine is forecast.