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Operations have resumed at the Calgary International Airport following a temporary pause earlier Monday morning caused by a snowstorm that’s hitting much of southern Alberta.
All flight arrivals and departures had been put on hold as of about 9 a.m. as crews struggled to cope with continuing, steady snowfall in the city.
The pause was lifted as of about 10:25 a.m., the airport said.
“We do anticipate seeing delays throughout the day given the winter weather conditions, and we encourage anyone travelling to please check directly with their airline for the most up to date flight information,” an airport spokesperson said.
The City of Calgary says its crews, equipment and contractors are working hard to clear roads following the largest dump of snow so far this season. CBC’s Dave Gilson reports on Monday’s slippery commute.
The snowfall also made for a slippery and slow Monday morning commute for drivers in Calgary.
From midnight to 4 p.m., there were 389 reported collisions, including 26 involving injuries, and 50 non-injury hit and runs, police said.
Environment Canada says the snowfall should end by late in the afternoon, with accumulations of 10 to 15 centimetres around the city.
Calgary Transit said the slippery conditions left about 50 of its buses stuck on city roadways, predominantly in the northwest.
All Calgary Transit snow detours within the city were put into effect for the morning commute.
Earlier this month, Calgary Transit announced that it has begun a gradual process of replacing worn out and damaged all-season tires on its 40- and 60-foot bus fleets with all-weather tires.
The new tires won’t be installed on the entire fleet of buses until 2029, Calgary Transit said.
A full list of bus routes that have designated snow detours is on the Calgary Transit website.
“Activating these detours city-wide will reduce risks of stuck buses and slowdowns for customers and commuters,” the city said in a release.
“Motorists are reminded to monitor changing weather conditions — snow covered roads, ice and visibility can be a factor in your commute. Prepare yourself before you head out, leave plenty of time to get to where you need to go and adapt to the changing weather.”
Calgary International Airport has resumed operations following a temporary pause earlier Monday morning due to a snowstorm hitting much of southern Alberta. Forecasters say a polar vortex could bring colder-than-usual temperatures to many parts of Canada in the coming weeks.
South of Calgary anywhere between 10 and 20 centimetres of snow is expected to fall on Monday.
A snowfall warning was issued by Environment Canada for parts of southern Alberta including Lethbridge, Taber, Cardston, Fort Macleod and Pincher Creek.
Snowfall in southern Alberta is predicted to intensify throughout the day but taper off by the evening.
Travellers left scrambling after airport delays
The Calgary International Airport said delays were still expected throughout the day due to weather conditions.
Julia Peck, who was going to Regina for work, said her flight was delayed, then cancelled.
She and a colleague were going to drive from Regina to Estevan, Sask., for a work trip, but now have to reschedule meetings planned for the next three days.
“Regina is supposed to get snow tonight, so now we’re worried we won’t be able to drive there tomorrow,” Peck said Monday. “It’s complicated — we had a lot of things booked that will have to be moved around.”
Olayinka Tehinse, Peck’s colleague, said the heavy snowfall in the morning made for a slow ride to the airport.
“I thought I would miss my flight and, after rushing here, I realized the flight was delayed,” she said. “It was really stressful.”
Geologist Justin Lockhart was flying to Kamloops, B.C., for work. He said his flight was delayed until later in the afternoon.
Lockhart said once he lands in Kamloops, he has to drive about five hours to a mine.
“A weather delay like this is a little unexpected and definitely puts a wrench in the plans.”
