The City of Sarnia is getting ready for a busy couple of days as a winter storm is expected to heavily impact roadways.
Environment Canada issued a winter storm warning for most of southern Ontario on Thursday.
Precipitation is expected to start late Thursday afternoon or evening. There's potential for a flash freeze on Friday, along with strong wind gusts, and five to 15 centimetres of snow accumulation by Friday night. Blowing snow is also anticipated on Saturday.
The city has a fleet of 17 plows, five sidewalk plows, and four parking lot plows ready to go. General Manager of Engineering and Operations David Jackson said snow-removal contractors will also be utilized as needed.
"The challenge with this storm is because it's coming as rain first, anything that we put down now would just be washed away and so we can't pre-treat for this so we'll be watching the weather and ready to head out as soon as it starts to freeze," he said.
While residents are encouraged to avoid travel during adverse weather conditions, drivers are also reminded of the overnight parking ban in place to allow for easier snow removal.
Jackson said primary routes will be cleared first for emergency vehicles and major traffic.
"We'll keep working until the snow is cleared, our staff are dedicated and we're on-call here 24/7, often we do have to work over holidays and days off so we're ready to do that," said Jackson. "We're very appreciative of our staff who are willing to do that work."
Jackson asked that residents remain patient over the next few days.
"We are ready for it but depending on the size of the storm, it can take a couple of days certainly to get to some of those local roads. We are on top of it and we will be out there but it might take some time to get every street cleared," he said.
In commercial and designated areas, property owners are required to remove snow and ice from their sidewalks within four hours after a snowfall event or within the first four hours of daylight.
Further details about snow and ice removal can be found on the city's website.
Meanwhile, Lambton Public Health (LPH) issued a cold weather alert Thursday afternoon.
They're put into effect when the daily low temperature is predicted to be -15°C or below, without a wind chill value, when Environment Canada issues a wind chill warning for Lambton County, and when extreme weather conditions, such as a blizzard or ice storm, are predicted.
All residents should take precautions by dressing in layers, shielding exposed areas from the wind such as head, neck, and face, and limiting time spent outdoors.
The health unit is advising local agencies that provide shelter and assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness to prepare for an increase in demand.
The alert is expected to remain in effect until Sunday, December 25, 2022.
