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Relentless snowstorm blankets Simcoe Muskoka

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A relentless snowstorm forced the City of Barrie to declare a significant weather event on Monday, as school boards made the rare decision to close, and driving became treacherous.

Snow days aren't unusual living in the snow belt, but closing schools across the board is.

Pauline Stevenson, Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board, said schools were closed because of the "severe weather and poor visibility" on the roads.

"It doesn't happen very often," she offered.

Environment Canada predicted the storm would bring five to 15 centimetres of the white stuff, with northwesterly winds whipping up to 60 km/h.

"This storm is a hard-hitter, but it's really a quick-hitter," said senior climatologist Dave Phillips. "It arrived on time, almost as if it was following a script. Very few areas are going to escape this."

City of Barrie crews are working around the clock, with all hands on deck for the snow removal department.

"We've initiated a second shift of employees, so we no longer have that where we shut down 13 hours into a storm to rest the snowplow operators, we can now go 24/7, and it makes things a little bit more efficient," said Dave Friary, City of Barrie.

The weather agency said motorists should expect tricky driving conditions into Tuesday morning and to plan accordingly.

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