Blowing snow, black ice causing traffic chaos on QEII in Central Alberta
Posted January 21, 2025 6:06 pm.
Last Updated January 21, 2025 9:20 pm.
If you were planning on hitting the highway between Calgary and Edmonton on Tuesday evening you may want to just stay home.
RCMP are asking drivers to avoid the highways in Central Alberta as they warn of slippery road conditions, especially between Calgary and Edmonton due to heavy winds and blowing snow.
Mounties say white out conditions are causing poor visibility and say highways are “extremely bad” around Leduc, Wetaskiwin, Camrose, Maskwacis and Ponoka.
“If you do have to travel now, travel with extreme caution,” says RCMP Const. Patrick Lambert. “Be aware, there is probably going to be some delays.”
The 511 Alberta website has listed multiple closures of the highway from Red Deer north due to jackknifed tractor-trailers.
Southbound QEII is closed south of Highway 53 near Ponoka as of 5:30 p.m. Northbound QEII is closed near Highway 616 west of Millet as of 4:45 p.m.
One trucker called the CityNews newsroom from the Penhold area, just south of Red Deer, in the late afternoon and said the highway is black ice and there are a number of vehicles in the ditch.
RCMP said around 9:11 p.m. a travel advisory and tow ban is in effect between Edmonton and Blackfalds.
Environment Canada is out with blowing snow advisories for areas from Drumheller, to Red Deer and Edmonton with winds gusting as high as 80 km/hr.
Listen to CityNews 660 for traffic updates every 10 minutes.
