Grocery stores all over Kenora were packed with shoppers on Tuesday (April 12, 2022), in preparation for the 30-50 cm of snow Environment Canada is predicting.
The storm is scheduled to begin rolling through Northwestern Ontario on Wednesday (April 13, 2022) with 10-15 cm of snow. It will continue on Thursday (April 14, 2022) with an additional 15 cm expected before tapering off on Friday (April 15, 2022).
A Kenora resident who wished to keep her name anonymous was among a fury of shoppers at Safeway on Tuesday, ensuring her fridge is stocked ahead of the storm.
“A lot of fruits, vegetables, and things like that,” said the resident. “I want to make sure I have enough food, I don’t know whether I will be able to get out of my driveway, I’m way out on McKenzie Portage Road. I might not get something that I have forgotten that I need. I’m trying to remember everything.”
She is also stocking up on the necessities in the event the severity of the storm takes out her power, which has created a lot of worry for the Kenora resident.
“With that volume of snow coming down and if it melts and turns to ice and weighs down power lines, are there are enough Hydro people out there to take care of everybody in the city. How long would a power outage be? Usually, it’s 3-4 hours, but what if it’s longer? I’m going to be cold!”
She wasn’t the only resident out shopping on Tuesday preparing for the storm. Another shopper that spoke with KenoraOnline says she increased her usual grocery shop due to the storm.
“We got some bottled water, we got some luncheon meat, and we bought some extra bread, and that sort of thing,” she noted.
She added that she and her husband's only worry regarding the storm is the possibility of missing out on church this Sunday.
Environment Canada issued a Special Weather Statement for the region on Sunday (April 10, 2022), calling for 25-40 cm of snow, before issuing a Winter Storm Watch on Monday afternoon (April 12, 2022). The storm watch was eventually switched to a Winter Storm Warning on Tuesday morning (April 12, 2022) with 30-50 cm of snow expected.
Southeastern Manitoba will be experiencing the storm first on Tuesday night (April 12, 2022) until Thursday (April 14, 2022), with an expected 30 to 50 cm of snow to fall in the Winnipeg and Red River Valley areas.
As the event draws nearer blizzard warnings may be considered if widespread visibilities are expected to be reduced to less than 400 m due to snow and blowing snow for an extended period of time.
With the heavy wind gusts, Environment Canada is also advising against travel on Wednesday and Thursday.
Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways, and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. Visibility will be suddenly reduced to near zero at times in heavy snow and blowing snow.
Keep up to date with all weather conditions with the REMR Roofing Storm Tracker.