Heavy flurries expected as Ottawa deals with April snow

It’s the winter that won’t quit.

Ottawa is in the midst of another cool period with temperatures hovering around -15 with the wind chill. It’s well below the normal for early April, which is closer to -1 C, according to data. The cool mass has prompted flurries, at times heavy, throughout Tuesday morning for the nation’s capital.

Environment Canada’s forecast expects light snow to continue, with total accumulation between 2 and 4 centimetres. Temperatures should warm overnight to -12 with the wind, as it persists into Wednesday. Thermometers should head back toward a normal temperature by Wednesday afternoon, before a bigger change in the warmer direction on Thursday.

Many communities outside the capital are under a special weather statement for a larger snowfall amount, which could see 5 cm. The weather agency warns of reduced visibility on roadways from the wind and snow.

It’s expected to taper off by Tuesday afternoon, but travel could be hazardous until then, it warns.

When to remove snow tires?

Even though it’s far less snow than people in eastern Ontario are used to, it still causes slippery roads and slower travel in the National Capital Region. Many may have removed snow tires from their vehicles, meaning the snow caused even more headaches and difficulties.

There’s no “set date” on the calendar for when winter tires should be taken off; there is a general “rule of thumb” in the industry, Lyssa Da Costa, director of marketing with Tire Discounter Group, said.

“Once temperatures are above 7 C, consistently, then you are safe to switch off your winter tires and put on your all-seasons or your summers,” she said.

This decision can be more difficult during warm spells, De Costa said, but people want to be certain that wintry weather is truly in the rearview mirror before making the switch. It’s also a delicate balance since she recommends that people not take off winters too early, but also shouldn’t keep them on for too long either.

“So in winter tires, the rubber is much softer — so it grips the snow and the ice. All-seasons and summers have a completely different compound,” explained Da Costa. “So if you’re driving in your winter tires in the middle of summer, you’re going to lose the longevity of your winter tires and most importantly, it’s a safety concern.”

Da Costa said when driving in warm weather with softer rubber tires, vehicles could lose performance and control, and won’t have the same stopping distance.

“So there are many factors and reasons why it’s a good idea to just monitor the weather and switchover when you’re sitting above 7 C consistently.”

With files from CityNews Kitchener’s Erin Anderson.