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Regina remains in storm mode after a spring snowfall dropped as much as 15 centimetres of snow across the city.
City officials said crews are continuing to work around the clock Friday to clear priority roads, manage drifting snow and keep emergency routes open after the late-season weather event.
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“We’ve received approximately 13 to 15 centimetres of snow, with higher amounts reported in isolated areas,” said Daryl Massier, manager of roadway seasonal operations with the City of Regina.
“While the majority of the snowfall has ended, unfortunately, some are still expected to fall through the day.”
Massier said temperatures were expected to sit near -4 C on Friday, while lingering winds could continue to create localized blowing snow. Even so, he said the city’s focus remains on keeping Regina’s busiest and most important roads safe and passable.
“The City remains in storm mode, with crews working around the clock to clean up from the weather event and keep priority routes safe and passable,” he said.
“Currently, we are focused on plowing major and high-speed roads, applying ice control, maintaining emergency routes.”
Massier added that roads in outer areas that are more likely to drift are also getting special attention as crews continue their cleanup efforts.
“Outer area roads that are prone to drifting storm mode will remain in effect until road and weather conditions improve,” he said.
The city’s winter maintenance program includes about 100 staff, along with contracted partners brought in to help during major weather events and priority plowing operations.
“Our crews work 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” Massier said.
Despite the quick burst of winter weather, Massier said residents should not expect the snow to hang around for long. He noted the system was a spring storm rather than a deep winter event, and said warmer temperatures and dry conditions in the forecast should help speed up the melt.
“As you know, this was a spring storm and while residents may experience short-term impacts, conditions are expected to improve quickly,” he said.
“A warming trend and dry weather that are forecasted through the weekend and into the middle of next week, we are not expecting the snow to remain for any extended period.”
Massier was also asked whether the coming melt could create flooding concerns in Regina.
He said the city has already prepared for that possibility by clearing catch basins during the recent stretch of milder weather before the storm hit.
“Obviously, we’re watching for that, but having been almost spring-like conditions prior to this, we had got all of our catch basins open and cleared,” Massier said.
“So we’re not really expecting any flooding.”
