By Kayla Bruch

PHOTOS/POLL: Wind damage cleanup starts around PA

Jan 15, 2014 | 9:01 AM

The record-breaking temperatures and high winds in Prince Albert led to some problems on the roads.

Wind speeds on Wednesday morning were more than 100 kilometres per hour.

“It should die down in the early evening or late afternoon,” CKBI meteorologist Henri Dagenais said. “And then the wind should become around 50 kilometres an hour.”

He said cold air from the Arctic and warm air from the Pacific built a “super low” in the Mackenzie Valley. From there, the “super low” started to move southeastward, and over this region, he added. Environment Canada has issued a wind warning for the Prince Albert area.

There was wind damage to residential locations, but also work sites. One Quorex Construction employee said they will be delayed for at least a week because of wind damage.

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The employee, who identifies himself only as Rick, said when the wind picked up they lost their hoarding on their brick scaffold and had to take it down and start over.

“You have standards that you have to make and Mother Nature is nasty sometimes and there's not a lot you can do,” said Rick.

By the afternoon road conditions on Highway 55 northeast of Prince Albert were especially slick and treacherous.  According to a driver who called into the newsroom around 5:30 p.m. the road had “glare ice” as the wind continues.  He said he also saw an empty school bus stuck in the ditch.

Barry Hollick, board chair of the Saskatchewan Rivers School Division, said two buses had actually got caught in the ditch–one near Meath Park and other on Osborne Road.

“Both were empty when they went in, and we sent other buses to take the kids home,” Hollick said.

No one was hurt from the incidents.

Hollick added they would make a decision Thursday morning on what they will do with the buses.

Wind effects seen early

Damages started early Wednesday morning as the winds caused downed branches around Prince Albert.

The traffic signal on Sixth Avenue East and Marquis Road East lost its connection due to the strong winds.

A member of the repair crew at the scene said this only happens when the wind picks up this much and that this only happens every few years.

They said the signal will most likely be down until Thursday, but the rest of the lights in the intersection are still working.

There have been various power outages in and around Prince Albert. Spokesperson with SaskPower, Tyler Hopson, said the main issues have been in Meadow Lake and Saskatoon areas. However, he said they did see some issues earlier in the day north of Prince Albert in Candle Lake, Christopher Lake and in Waskesiu.

“We’ve got crews working in a number of different parts of the province and a central team in Saskatoon that’s monitoring the situation,” said Hopson.

For the latest updates on power outages check out @SaskPower

Have you seen wind damages around the city? Send us your photos to news@panow.com
 
kbruch@rawlco.com

On Twitter: @KaylaBruch1