Record snowfall buries Ottawa

Digging out after the snowfall Saturday saw a record snowfall in the capital, with more than 20 centimetres falling through Sunday morning. CTV's Megan Shaw reports.

OTTAWA — The clean-up is underway after a record snowstorm buried Ottawa.

A total of 21 cm of snow fell at the Ottawa Airport between Saturday afternoon and early Sunday afternoon.

The 14.3 cm of snow that fell at the Ottawa Airport on Saturday set a record for greatest snowfall on January 18 in Ottawa history. The previous record was 10.2 cm of snow set on January 18, 1978.

A Snowfall Warning issued by Environment Canada was lifted early Sunday morning as the system moved out of the region.

The snow slowed down travel across the city on Saturday night and Sunday morning.  At the Ottawa Airport, several flights were delayed and cancelled due to the weather in Ottawa and across the country.

Ottawa’s Director of Road Services Laila Gibbons said the main priority for snowplows was clearing major routes and sidewalks.

“As the snow starts to slow down in the morning and into the early afternoon hours, we will be making sure we are out clearing all roads, sidewalks and cycling lanes and getting them ready for the Monday morning commute,” Gibbons said.