Snowfall, driving warning issued for Calgary and area

Calgary motorists are being urged to drive with caution as a snowfall, expected to leave up to 15 centimetres by Monday morning, created slick road conditions.

People should not be driving "unless absolutely necessary," advised the Calgary police on Sunday.

Police responded to about 200 collisions from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with about 20 of them involving minor injuries, they said.

Calgary paramedics, who usually answer one or two vehicle-collision calls on a regular Sunday, said they responded to about 30 crashes in four hours.

Calgary Emergency Medical Services went into a red alert, where there are no transport ambulances available in the city, for about five minutes just before 1 p.m., reported EMS spokesman Paul Lapointe.

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for Calgary and surrounding areas on Sunday morning because of a southern weather system that's moving faster than expected.

The snow, which began falling at about 9 a.m., is expected to leave up to 15 centimetres in the city by Monday morning.

RCMP in Airdrie and Cochrane warned that conditions on Highways 1, 1A and 2 were extremely icy.

There were reports of several accidents on Highway 2 between Didsbury and Calgary.

Calgary EMS reminded people to:

• Avoid driving during current weather conditions.
• Decrease driving speed if on the road.
• Increase the following distance between yourself and the vehicle in front.
• Wear proper winter clothing or have winter clothing in your vehicle for emergencies.

The City of Calgary said it had 75 sanders in service on Sunday.