Winter storm brings weather warnings and delayed return to classrooms

January 18, 2022 @ 1:42 pmNews

A Tower Street sidewalk in Fergus is cleared after a major winter storm swept through Wellington County on Jan. 17. (Photo by Jordan Snobelen)
A Canada Post worker slogs through a winter storm in Fergus on Jan. 17. (Photo by Jordan Snobelen)
Marisa Pukarowski and her two daughters, Ali, 6, and Hailey, 3, take advantage of a snow day on Jan. 17 after a planned return to in-class learning was thwarted by mother nature. (Photo by Jordan Snobelen)
With a major storm warning issued by Environment Canada for the province, including the local region, numerous closures have been announced with more expected as the storm progresses. Advertiser file photo
George Fraser puts a snowblower to use on Jan. 17 after the first major snow storm of 2022 swept through Wellington County. (Photo by Jordan Snobelen)
Paul Freier (helped by Sharon Shadaan, out of frame) hucks some snow after the first winter storm of 2022 on Jan. 17. (Photo by Jordan Snobelen)
Seen from a Gartshore Street bridge in Fergus on Jan. 17, the Grand River is coated in snow. Snowfall amounts ranging between 25 and 40 cm are expected in Wellington County on Monday. (Photo by Jordan Snobelen)

WELLINGTON COUNTY – A winter storm warning, issued by Environment Canada at 11:35am on Monday and affecting Wellington County and Guelph, ended as of 4:11pm Jan. 17.

Students were supposed to return to in-class learning on Monday, but Mother Nature had other plans, leading local school boards to close schools, deferring the return to classrooms to Jan. 18

Snowfall amounts ranging between 25 and 40cm were expected throughout the day on Monday, accompanied by 60km/h northerly to northwesterly wind gusts.

According to Environment Canada, a low pressure system brought the significant snowfall, the heaviest of which occurred overnight.

Shannon Brown, a University of Guelph postdoctoral research associate, told the Advertiser 14cm of accumulated snow was measured at an Environment Canada weather station located at the Elora Research Station between 1am and 1pm on Jan. 17.

The Town of Erin declared a significant weather event on Jan. 17.

Town officials said the declaration “is not a notice of a reduced level of service or a road closure,” but serves instead to “notify the public that … caution is to be observed when traveling on [town] roads and using sidewalks.”

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