Major Winter Storm Cripples Prairies, Lashes Medicine Hat with Damaging Winds
3rd St North Flats Medicine Hat - Photo submitted by Kelci Allard
MEDICINE HAT – A powerful winter storm swept across the Prairies on Wednesday, bringing severe and damaging winds that downed trees, damaged property, and made travel impossible, with conditions particularly treacherous in southern Alberta.
Environment and Climate Change Canada maintained both an Orange Alert for damaging wind and a Yellow Warning for a winter storm for the Medicine Hat area into Wednesday evening. Winds gusting from 100 to 130 km/h were reported, with the strongest winds located near the Saskatchewan border before easing in the evening.
The impact in Medicine Hat was immediate and significant. High winds caused a tree to fall near the exit of the city hall's underground parkade on River Road Southeast, prompting the city to send employees home for safety. The storm also caused other damage across the city, including knocking over a dumpster onto a downtown street and sending back-alley garbage bins tumbling.
Widespread Disruption Across the Region
The storm's effects were felt province-wide, leading to a cascade of closures, cancellations, and dangerous incidents.
Travel Deemed "Impossible": The RCMP issued a stark advisory against all travel on roads and highways in affected areas of Alberta and Saskatchewan, stating, "Safe travel impossible". They warned that if drivers were involved in a collision, it would take emergency crews a significant time to reach them.
Highway Chaos and Flight Cancellations: A major pileup involving an estimated 80 to 100 vehicles forced the closure of the QEII Highway between Calgary and Airdrie for several hours. In Calgary alone, police reported 142 crashes between midnight and 4 p.m.. Air travel was also severely disrupted, with Calgary International Airport temporarily suspending operations and cancelling 68 flights.
School and Power Outages: Multiple school divisions, including the Prairie Rose School Division in southeastern Alberta, dismissed students early and cancelled rural bus routes. The storm also caused power outages, with one reported at Foremost School.
Safety Information and Ongoing Response
Utility crews were on standby but faced delays, as the excessive wind speeds made conditions unsafe to begin restoration work. Authorities urged the public to stay indoors if possible and to stay away from any fallen power lines.
Key hazards and official advice for the Medicine Hat area as of Wednesday evening:
Damaging Wind Gusts of 100-130 km/h; risk of flying debris, shingle damage, and overturned high-sided vehicles.Stay indoors. Secure loose outdoor items. Utility crews are on standby, awaiting safe conditions to restore power.
Blowing Snow & Low Visibility Periods of heavy snow combining with strong winds, leading to sudden near-zero visibility.Avoid all travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, dress for the weather and ensure your vehicle is prepared.
Icy Roads Rapid temperature drop freezing any slush or pooling water.Roads are extremely slippery. Drive with extreme caution if you must go out.
General Safety Risk of injury from falling trees or debris.Stay away from fallen trees or power lines. Monitor alerts from Environment Canada.
Looking Ahead
The intense winds in the Medicine Hat region were expected to ease through Wednesday evening. However, the larger storm system continues to move east, with blizzard conditions forecast to taper off in Saskatchewan overnight and the system moving into Manitoba. Southern Manitoba is bracing for 10 to 20 centimetres of snow and freezing rain.
