FORT McMURRAY, ALBERTA, CANADA — A major October snowstorm left semi-trucks, buses, and other vehicles stuck on Highway 63 in northeastern Alberta on Saturday, October 24. RCMP advised drivers to stay off the main route to Fort McMurray in both directions, and the only alternate route south, Highway 881, was also not recommended.
Northeastern Alberta got its first major snowfall of the season on Friday. Environment Canada kept a snowfall warning in effect Saturday and raised its forecast for the Fort McMurray area to 20 to 30 centimetres, double the earlier 10 to 15. Another five to 10 centimetres was expected before the snow tapered off Saturday evening.
Shortly after 7:15 a.m. MT, RCMP warned that Highway 63 could be fully blocked for “several hours.” Northbound traffic could not get up Supertest Hill, where multiple semi-trucks, buses, and other vehicles were stuck. At 8:45 a.m., police widened the advisory to both directions because of multiple standstills, and also cautioned people against traveling within Fort McMurray.
As of about 10 a.m., the Alberta 511 map showed a string of incidents along the corridor. A jackknifed semi blocked all lanes north of Fort McMurray. Vehicles near Mariana Lake, and others about 40 kilometres north of there, had been stuck on or beside the road for at least two hours. The highway was covered in snow or ice from Bitumount to just north of Wandering River. Alberta 511 advised against travel from Mariana Lake to just north of the Highway 881 junction, and against most of Highway 881.
“Winter driving conditions, obviously, are in play here and be prepared to have your vehicles ready,” RCMP Const. Sandra Geiger told CBC News. She said officers on scene reported impassable roads and that there were concerns about tow trucks reaching stranded drivers in a timely manner. Crews were working to clear the road, with no timeline given.
This was an advisory, not a formal road closure. Geiger did not believe the situation had reached the severity of April, when a storm stopped traffic in all directions on Highway 63 and many motorists spent the night in their vehicles.
At 9 a.m. Saturday, Environment Canada recorded snow at Fort McMurray Airport with a temperature near -3°C, visibility of 600 metres, and northwest winds of 33 km/h gusting to 52 km/h. Snowfall warnings were also in effect for Fort McKay, Conklin, and the Fort Chipewyan and Wood Buffalo National Park region, where 20 to 40 centimetres was forecast.
Highway 63 is Fort McMurray’s main link to the rest of the province and carries oilsands workers and freight trucks daily. Much of it runs through remote country, so help can be slow to arrive.
Further south, Calgary saw rain turn to wet snow around 6 a.m. Friday. Canmore and the Rockies got their first real snow, and Edmonton stayed dry. Temperatures near Fort McMurray were expected to drop to about -8°C overnight, with clearing skies Sunday and more snow possible Tuesday and Wednesday.
Drivers are urged to check Alberta 511 before leaving, follow RCMP direction, fill the fuel tank, and pack warm clothing, water, food, and a charged phone.
Information courtesy of CBC News.
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