9:39 a.m. update on North Highway closure

OPP NEWS RELEASE

************************* Highway closure may be another 24 hours

BATCHAWANA BAY, ON - Sault Ste. Marie OPP are now advising that Highway 17 between Batchawana Bay and Wawa may be closed for at least another 24 hours.

An intense weather front is resulting in an accumulation of four to six inches (15 centimeters) of snow on the roadway per hour in an area between Batchawana Bay and Montreal River.

Plow trucks are experiencing difficulty keeping the heavy snow fall off the roadway.

The heavy snowfall combined with high winds have not let up, and are not expected to let up for at least the next 24 hours.

Highway maintenance crews are reporting zero visibility due to snow squalls since the storm set in yesterday.

OPP are suggesting that any wishing to travel further north may want to consider using Highway 129 at Thessalon, then Highway 101 over to Wawa.

Highway 17 between Batchawana Bay and Wawa will be opened when the weather lets up.

This section of the Trans Canada Hwy is continuously being monitored by the Ministry of Transportation and the OPP.

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