THUNDER BAY – The Thanksgiving weekend starts with weather and travel updates – Winter weather has arrived early in the western and northern part of Northwestern Ontario. In addition, The Canada Border Services Agency are advising residents who are travelling south for the Canadian Thanksgiving long weekend of the best times at the border.
First, the weather, Environment Canada as of 06:00AM EDT advises, “A strong low pressure centre north of Lake Superior will move northeastwards reaching James Bay later today. Snow continues to fall across most of the district as. A further accumulation of 5 to 10 centimetres is likely by evening before the snow winds down to a few flurries this evening. Total snowfall amounts of 25 centimetres or so is quite likely in areas around and north of Red Lake by the time the storm tapers off later today.
“Persistent strong north to northwest winds gusting to 50 km/h are still creating very poor visibility in many areas. The snow accumulation on trees still in partial to full leaf combined with strong winds has led to falling limbs and local power outages which numbered over four thousand customers at its peak, according to reports from Hydro one”.
Hydro One is reporting multiple outages in the western half of the region. Visit www.hydroone.com/stormcenter.
Motorists should be prepared for hazardous winter driving conditions due to snow and slush on roads, and allow extra time to reach their destination.
Keep abreast of the latest Road Conditions at Road Conditions on NNL.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) reminds travellers to plan their border crossing to avoid delays during this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend. In anticipation of higher traffic volumes, travellers are advised to consider the potential for delays for the following dates and times:
Pigeon River port of entry: Peak traffic volumes are anticipated between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Monday, October 8, when border wait times may exceed 30 minutes.
Fort Frances port of entry: Peak traffic volumes are anticipated between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Monday, October 8, when border wait times may exceed 30 minutes.
Travellers in Northwestern Ontario may also choose to enter Canada via the Rainy River port of entry.
Peak traffic volume information and anticipated border wait times are based on historical data. The CBSA anticipates a four percent increase in traffic this weekend at the Fort Frances port of entry from previous years based on traffic volume trends to date in 2012. The forecasted traffic volumes may vary depending on numerous factors, including weather conditions.
For more information on border wait times and for instructions on how to receive Twitter messages for border wait times at some ports of entry, visit the CBSA Web site at www.cbsa.gc.ca, or stay connected with us using your mobile by visiting www.cbsa.gc.ca/mobile. You can also visit the Government of Canada Wireless Portal through your Web-enabled mobile device at www.wap.gc.ca or www.gc.ca.
