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November 30, 2024 (Muskoka, ON) – The District of Muskoka has declared a Significant Weather Event for all District roads throughout Muskoka effective immediately. Current and forecast weather conditions are impacting road maintenance operations. The declaration is due to significant accumulating snowfall that is expected to continue over the next 24-48 hours.
During this Significant Weather Event, residents are advised to limit all travel on all District roads across Muskoka unless necessary, until further notice.
“A Significant Weather Event (SWE) is declared when there is an “approaching or occurring weather hazard with the potential to pose a significant danger to users of the roadways within a municipality,” explains James Steele, Commissioner of Engineering and Public Works at the District of Muskoka. “It is essential that residents stay off the roads, and only travel if necessary until the event is declared over and normal service levels and operations are back in place.”
This declaration applies to all District roads in Muskoka and each of our partnering Area Municipalities (Towns and Townships) may be declaring a Significant Weather Event for their roads as well. Declaring a Significant Weather Event for all District roads allows staff and resources from across the District to be called in to support the crews in communities most impacted.
What does declaring a Significant Weather Event mean?
There are timelines set by the District and Ministry of Transportation on how long municipalities have to clear roadways and sidewalks during the winter. When a Significant Weather Event is in effect, District service levels do not change, but winter clearing activities take longer to complete and affect response timelines. District crews will continue to work on clearing roadways, but it may take longer to complete all routes and keep up with the storm.
Significant Weather Events are declared to keep our community safe, and warn them of impending or current conditions. When declaring, the following is considered:
- the amount of snow accumulation during a 24-hour period;
- ice formation that wasn’t predicted;
- extreme cold temperatures when de-icing won’t be as effective
- high winds leading to blowing snow and snow drift
The District and our partners work closely together to monitor forecasts, road and weather conditions 24 hours a day. Weather conditions can vary in each of our communities across Muskoka – and change rapidly.
- Environment Canada
- The Weather Network
- District of Muskoka – Roads and Transportation
- Town of Bracebridge
- Town of Gravenhurst
- Town of Huntsville
- Township of Georgian Bay
- Township of Lake of Bays
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