Windsor digs out of snowstorm

As snow blankets the region Sunday, how are local residents dealing with the accumulation?

A heavy dose of winter walloped Windsor Sunday morning as residents awoke to snow.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for Sunday, anticipating a weather system that they expected to bring 10 to 20 cm of snow to the region.

Opening his door on Sunday morning, Burt Scott said it was an “eye opener” to see another sizeable snowfall.

“I like this. It’s not windy, it’s nice snowfall,” he observed.

A lifelong Windsor resident, Scott has lived through major snowstorms and has become accustomed to the regular winter weather.

“We’re in a tough part of the winter now. February seems to be the strongest part of the season for this kind of weather,” Scott noted.

Around the city, residents walked up and down each street to begin digging out from the white and fluffy snow.

On Victoria Avenue, Kevin Grant pushed his snowblower past his own home and across the sidewalks of each neighbour.

“There are lots of neighbours out at church today, and it’s an opportunity for me to get out and clear some snow for them,” Grant said.

Headphones in, Grant finished clearing his side of the street before he crossed the road to clear another sidewalk.

While it carries a mixed reputation, Grant said the manual labour doesn’t change his opinion on a snowy Canadian winter.

“I would be sad if we didn’t have a snowy winter,” said Grant.

Ahead of the storm, a spokesperson for the City of Windsor told AM800 News a fleet of 23 trucks were being deployed to clear snow and salt the roads.

Monkia Grant, the senior manager of Contracts, Field Services and Maintenance for Public Works, said crews were expected to remain on the roads throughout the duration of the storm.

“Even usually after a snowfall ends, we’re out for an additional three or four hours cleaning up various areas, addressing any drifting issues,” Grant said.

“It is supposed to be very cold, so the salt won’t be working the way it normally does in Windsor. Once we hit minus 10 (14F) it impacts how quickly the salt can dissolve ice and snow, so we’ll be monitoring road conditions throughout the entire storm.”

Residents are reminded to give plows space to operate, and clear their home sidewalks within 12 hours of the end of snowfall.

-With files from AM800 News’ Dustin Coffman.