Snow hits Capital Region

Blowing snow and windy conditions in Edmonton and surrounding areas caused traffic tie-ups during the Wednesday evening commute, and conditions are only expected to get worse.

Police responded to collisions throughout the city on Wednesday afternoon, as Edmonton drivers got their first taste of winter weather. The icy roads caused drivers on the Yellowhead Trail to slow to a crawl as they tried to avoid collisions.

Drivers looking for roadside assistance could be waiting for longer, AMA Roadside Assistance is handling a higher volume of calls than usual. Drivers can expect the wait for help to be between 1.5 and 4 hours.

Global Edmonton Meteorologist Nicola Crosbie says the snow is expected to continue overnight, and that drivers should be prepared for up to five centimetres of snow and black ice on the Thursday morning commute. Temperatures for Thursday morning are forecasted to be between -20 and -25 with the windchill.

The city says they're ready for snow removal season, and crews were out sanding on Wednesday.