The County of Renfrew has declared a significant weather event amid a snowfall warning from Environment Canada across the Ottawa Valley.
The declaration came into effect Tuesday, December 9th at 8:00 p.m., following a warning from Environment Canada to expect 15 to 20 centimetres of snowfall over the course of Wednesday, December 10th.
The snowfall comes courtesy of an Alberta clipper that also led to school buses being cancelled across the Ottawa Valley Wednesday morning.
County officials say significant weather event declarations are meant to alert drivers that approaching or ongoing weather hazards could pose a “significant danger” on local roads.
Under such a declaration, the county is temporarily exempt from the usual timelines required to meet winter road maintenance standards. Instead, road crews will monitor conditions and deploy plows and sanders when officials determine it is safe and appropriate to do so. Normal service timelines will resume once the declaration is lifted.
The county stressed the notice does not mean roads are closed or that service levels are being reduced. Rather, officials said the measure is intended to warn travellers that road conditions may deteriorate quickly as snow accumulates, and that returning roads to normal conditions could take longer than usual.
A follow-up notice will be issued once the significant weather event has ended.
(Written by Steve Berard)