Prince Rupert Snow Daze ... Day 4

City Crews and contractors have been busy clearing the downtown
core streets of snow

Prince Rupert and area residents woke up to day four of snow shovelling this mornin. 

This one making for the first back to work event, where the laneway is the first challenge of the day, followed by navigating your way around the city.

If you were a contractor with a backhoe, skid steer, excavator, grader or a truck and a plow this has been a money weekend for you! 

There has been a fleet of vehicles in use by the city on snow removal, with a number of local firms taking on some of the load of snow removal around town.

The main city roads have once again seen attention overnight, most are ploughed and sanded with few challenging areas, the downtown core particularly 2nd Avenue West and Third Avenue West are clear, Third with even the parking areas cleared out overnight.  

The snow piled strategically in piles at street corners in the downtown core and in various areas around the city's residential areas. 

You are however on your own when it comes to breaking through the berms to the sidewalks, when you can find the latter.

Highway 16 through the city along McBride, 2nd Ave West and Park was clear but has compacted snow and sand. While most of the city's hill have been sanded.

Many downtown business owners were busy early today clearing the areas in front of their property, though there were some familiar areas of the past that have yet to see any attention making for a some challenges for those on foot. 

Snow piles make for benchmarks of snow clearing efforts through
the downtown core and residential areas

Adding to the  mix this morning was some freezing rain which started at 7:30AM.

As for highway travel, the most recent guidance from Drive BC was of compact snow from Prince Rupert through to Terrace.

click to enlarge

The highway cameras of the North Coast to Terrace providing a bit more of minute to minute review of how the roads look this morning.

A snapshot of Drive BC highway cameras between
Port Edward Turnoff and the Terrace roundabout at 8AM today

You can access the Drive BC Highway Cameras for the Northwest here.

The Drive BC updates are available from their website and twitter feed.

A social media feed dedicated to Highway 16 road conditions also provides a glimpse of conditions from those who have been travelling them through the day.

Environment Canada's most recent forecast suggests much of the same for a few days, with flurries or rain the dominant feature until midweek.

click above items to enlarge  

Considering the full on approach that the City has taken over the four days of snow, it will be interesting to see if the Operations Department provides an update on their work to date and how much of a hit that the four days of winter have delivered to the Snow budget.

Towards that work the City has passed on their thanks to the public for their help, along with a reminder to ensure that catch basin areas are clear for the eventual Big Melt that will come. Their social media post also is serving as a feedback board of sorts on the weekend snow removal work.

You can review those comments and offer up your own here.

More notes on past weather events can be explored here.