Public weather alerts for Canada on at 4 p.m. Dec. 23. The red indicates that a region is under a weather warning.
Canada’s holiday weekend is off to a rocky start thanks to what Environment Canada is calling a “once-in-a-decade event” of stormy weather. There are school closures, cancelled flights, power outages, road accidents and closures, and a country of frustrated and disappointed holiday celebrators.
From coast to coast, Environment Canada’s public weather alerts map is showing nearly every region of the country under some form of weather warning. Edmonton and Calgary remain the only two major cities in Canada without warnings. Vancouver and Toronto are facing winter storm warnings, Winnipeg has extreme cold. Montreal is up against a flash freeze and rain warning, and Halifax is bracing against rainfall, storm surge and wind warnings.
The warnings and advisories describe nearly every scenario of winter weather you could imagine:
- Winter storm
- Blizzard
- Wind
- Snowfall
- Extreme cold
- Freezing rain
- Flash freeze
- Rainfall
- Blowing snow
- Storm surge
- Wreckhouse wind – issued in Channel-Port aux Basques and vicinity for “when there is a significant risk of damaging winds.”
- Arctic outflow
- Fog advisory
This adverse weather is happening just as many people were preparing to travel for Christmas, by road, boat and by air. Officials are pleading with people in affected areas to travel only for essential purposes, as whiteout conditions and icy roads are leading to multiple accidents across the nation.
For the latest on the weather that’s unfolding across the country, follow The Globe and Mail’s live blog
More reading
- How to prepare for a winter storm
- How to save money if your flight is cancelled