Multiple motor vehicle collisions reported on QEII between Calgary and Airdrie

Multiple vehicle collisions were reported between Calgary and Airdrie along the QEII Thursday as icy conditions made highway driving hazardous.

Winter weather caused multiple motor vehicle collisions Thursday on the QEII between Calgary and Airdrie.

The province posted on its @511Alberta social media feed Thursday that blowing snow is creating hazardous conditions from the Calgary city limit to Airdrie.

The province posted just before 11 a.m.

Motorists driving north on the QEII are being advised to slow down and use caution in the area.

At around 11:42 a.m., Didsbury RCMP issued a release advising that they are responding to a motor vehicle collision on northbound QEII near TwpRd 320, northeast of Didsbury, with one lane blocked.

Ice-covered highways across south and central Alberta

According to 511 Alberta as of 6:30 a.m., most highways across central and southern Alberta were listed as at least partially snow and ice-covered.

In their orange-level snowfall warnings issued for areas east of Highway 2 and the QEII, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said they are anticipating between 25 and 40 centimetres of total snowfall for those areas, which elevates the potential impact on travel.

“The winds are also causing snowdrifts in a number of places, including the Trans-Canada Highway near Gleichen,” ECCC said.

“One report received from the community stated that snow drifts there were measured to be between 60 to 70 centimetres in some spots.”

There will be little improvement over the next 24 hours as temperatures remain below freezing and snow is expected to continue into the early afternoon Thursday before exiting east of the province.

High River collision

Thursday around noon, High River RCMP issued a media statement advising that they were responding to a pileup containing multiple vehicles on Highway 2, just north of Highway 540.

Southbound lanes are closed. Motorists are advised to avoid the area.

The daytime high in Calgary on Thursday will be almost 15 degrees below average before gradually returning to seasonal values by Sunday.

With files from CTV News’ Jodi Hughes