'Rare' springtime blizzard wallops parts of Canada / Photo: Daniel Crump - AFP
-
S.African activists push back on data centre rush
-
Billionaire Ambani's Jio jumps 21% in market debut after record India IPO
-
Billionaire Ambani's Jio to debut after record India IPO
-
Sri Lanka's Tamil farmers fight to reclaim land after civil war
-
UK set for cautious budget as borrowing costs climb
-
'They don't care about us': Trump food aid cuts leave Americans struggling and angry
-
US Fed expected to hold rates steady ahead of key midterm elections
-
Palestinian activist Khalil returns to Columbia after US detention
-
AI chip giant SK hynix says quarterly operating profit soars 630%
-
Youths testify about 'despair' in unprecedented Canadian climate trial
-
Charles tackles thorny legacy of slavery on Caribbean trip
-
Storied Paris department store seeks bankruptcy protection
-
UN nuclear watchdog chief urges Iran to grant access
-
Boeing shares tumble after it releases cautious growth forecast
-
Boeing releases cautious growth plan as shares fall sharply
-
Boeing reports smaller loss as it aims for stable output growth
-
Tech firms gain on Anthropic IPO optimism; HSBC slumps in London
-
Dangote, Nigeria's oil tycoon rewriting Africa's story
-
Tech firms track Wall St rally on mixed day for stock markets
-
Kane says Ballon d'Or win 'feels like a dream' as tributes pour in
-
HSBC profit jumps on higher rates, lower costs
-
Mercedes-Benz cuts 2026 profit outlook on tough China market
-
Reparations calls follow Charles on tough Caribbean trip
-
Wall Street faces earnings and Fed tests after turbulent technology-led week
-
China brands drop Mbappe for 'offending national sentiments'
-
Delhi grants minimum monthly pay and DA to about 4,000 MCD health workers
-
Critical coal inventories affect nearly half of India’s domestic power plants
-
FCNR(B) deposit drive puts sharper margin pressure on private banks
-
Gold ETF flows turn negative after 13 weeks as bullion loses 4%
'Rare' springtime blizzard wallops parts of Canada
A springtime blizzard walloped Canada's western Prairies region and parts of Ontario province this week, closing roads, airports and schools, and leaving a dump of snow to shovel.
Whiteouts were also reported in the US states of North Dakota and Montana.
Natalie Hasell, a meteorologist at Environment Canada, told AFP it was "rare" to see a major weather event dropping 30 centimeters (12 inches) of snow in April, when most Canadians are gearing up for spring.
Only two winter storms of this intensity have ever been recorded around this time of year in the region since 1902. The last one of this magnitude, in 1997, pummeled Manitoba province for three days and went into history books as "the storm of the century."
Just weeks after the last of the 2021-2022 winter snowfall had melted away, forecasts warned of a "historic" winter storm, with an average of 30 to 50 centimeters of fresh snow expected to accumulate in Manitoba and Saskatchewan by the time it ends on Friday, with some parts seeing as much as 80 centimeters of snow coupled with strong winds.
Hasell said the worst-case scenario hadn't materialized so far, but the snow was continuing to fall, with an additional five to 10 centimeters expected on Thursday in Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba.
Few power outages were reported, but many schools and roads were closed in and around the city.
Air Canada told AFP it planned to resume flights Thursday after canceling 21 flights to and from Winnipeg the day before.
A weather alert for Saskatchewan has been lifted, but another was issued for Ontario as the storm tracked eastward.
It is expected to peter out by Friday evening.
D.Goldberg--CPN
