Significant snow expected over next 24 hours

NEWS RELEASES

ENVIRONMENT CANADA

OPP

************************* SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT ISSUED FOR

WAWA - WHITE RIVER - PUKASKWA SAULT STE. MARIE - SUPERIOR EAST KAPUSKASING - HEARST CITY OF THUNDER BAY KENORA - NESTOR FALLS DRYDEN - IGNACE FORT FRANCES - RAINY LAKE ATIKOKAN - UPSALA - QUETICO SUPERIOR WEST RED LAKE - EAR FALLS SIOUX LOOKOUT - SAVANT LAKE LAKE NIPIGON - WABAKIMI GERALDTON - MANITOUWADGE - HORNEPAYNE NIPIGON - MARATHON - SUPERIOR NORTH TIMMINS - COCHRANE.

A SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL IN THE CARDS ACROSS THE NORTH.

AN ALBERTA CLIPPER WILL SCOOT EASTWARDS ALONG THE AMERICAN BORDER TODAY ACCOMPANIED BY A BAND OF SNOW.

SNOW, OCCASIONALLY HEAVY, WILL BEGIN FALLING NEAR THE MANITOBA BORDER LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING AND QUICKLY ENVELOP NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO THIS EVENING.

IT WILL THEN OVERSPREAD NORTHEASTERN REGIONS ON FRIDAY WHILE TAPERING OFF IN THE NORTHWEST.

TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS OF 10 TO 15 CENTIMETRES ARE EXPECTED IN A SWATH FROM ROUGHLY DRYDEN THROUGH GERALDTON TO KAPUSKASING.

SOMEWHAT LESSER AMOUNTS OF 5 OR 10 CENTIMETRES ARE EXPECTED ON EITHER SIDE OF THIS AXIS.

SOME REGIONS MAY INDEED REACH THE WARNING THRESHOLD OF 15 CENTIMETRES IN 12 HOURS IF LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW BANDS PERSIST OR MORE MOISTURE IS TAPPED OFF OF LAKE SUPERIOR.

ENVIRONMENT CANADA WILL MONITOR THE SITUATION AND ISSUE SNOWFALL WARNINGS IF HEAVIER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS BECOME MORE LIKELY.

LISTEN FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY ALSO BE FOUND BY CONSULTING THE LATEST PUBLIC FORECAST.

THE NEXT PUBLIC FORECAST WILL BE ISSUED BY 11.30 AM.

************************* It's time to prepare for winter driving and adjust your driving behaviour

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON - Winter is upon us. Sault Ste. Marie OPP remind motorists remind drivers that the primary cause of winter driving collisions is driving too fast for the road conditions.

Speed amplifies the effects of slippery roads, allowing less time to react to a loss of control.

Anticipation of having to stop or driving on slippery conditions is the next most important component of safe winter driving.

By anticipating the effects of ice and snow on the roadway you will slow down and avoid making any radical movement of your vehicle which may cause a collision. The third most important thing you can do is ensure you vehicle has good tires, preferably winter tires.

Winter tires provide better traction for stopping and steering and can be the difference between a trip home and a trip into the ditch.

Each year countless crashes and needless injuries could be avoided by just using common sense and slowing down.

Just because the sign says 90 km/hr does not mean you should be driving at that speed.

OPP remind motorists to check with the Ministry of Transportation for road conditions and traveller information at 1-800-228-4686 or at www.mto.gov.on.ca

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