Slick conditions expected as freezing rain warning issued
Posted Feb 5, 2016 06:24:37 AM.
Last Updated Feb 5, 2016 11:30:43 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for Halifax on top of the heavy rainfall warning bringing us 25 millimetres of rain.
HRM said because of the heavy rain, they won’t be able to prepare the roads ahead of time, as the brine would’ve simply washed away.
“We have, as we always do, our staff on the ready watching the weather conditions and monitoring the forecast for the next 12 to 24-hours, we have that equipment ready to go out as soon as the rain starts to change over to freezing rain and snow,” said spokesperson Jennifer Stairs.
Halifax Regional Police recommends staying at home during the icy conditions if possible.
“Slippery conditions with respect to ice are a whole different ballgame than snow,” said HRP spokesperson Cst. Dianne Woodworth.
“We would ask that you slow down, leave yourself lots of time, and allow yourself some extra distance especially when coming to a stop light or stop sign.”
HRM said it would also be enforcing its parking ban overnight into Saturday, meaning vehicles parked on the street could be ticketed and towed if they’re blocking snow clearing operations.
NEWS 95.7 Meteorologist Richard Zurawski says it’s going to get messy once a cold front arrives in the region.
“Temperatures are going to drop to about minus 3 or minus 4 and that’s perfect for freezing rain, then things will taper off tomorrow,” he explained.
“It’s not pretty weather at all, things could get very slippery tomorrow, the good news is, it’s a weekend.”
Zurawski adds if you’ve got weekend errands to run, you might want to avoid doing them tomorrow morning.
“We’ve also got ice pellets with it, so total amounts of ice pellets, freezing rain and flurries will probably come in the vicinity of 5 centimetres,” he said. “Saturday morning you’ll wake up and have some heavy shovelling to do, and it’ll be slippery.”
He says this is the coldest part of winter and we have a series of low pressure systems on the way.
“Right now I’m looking at one coming in for late Monday, and it should make for a mess driving home from work or school in the evening,” he said. “Right now it looks like 20 to 30 centimetres of snow but that could change.”
Halifax Harbour Bridges will delay The Big Lift closure of the Macdonald Bridge until 9 a.m. Saturday, reopening Monday, February 8 at 530 a.m.
It’s business as usual for the Halifax Regional School Board, but students in the Annapolis Valley board are getting a long weekend, they’ve shut down schools, offices and work sites for Friday.
The Chignecto Central Regional School Board says schools in the municipality of East Hants county are open, but closed in Colchester, Cumberland and Pictou counties Friday.
Halifax Regional Municipality has also closed the Emera Oval for morning skates on Friday and are expected to provide an update around 11 a.m.
