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The Alberta RCMP is warning motorists in all parts of the province against travel because of whiteout conditions caused by falling snow and strong wind gusts, that in some areas are forecast to hit 130 km/hr.
The travel advisory, originally issued for many areas in southern Alberta, was expanded around 1 p.m. to the central and northern parts of the province.
The treacherous road conditions are being blamed for multiple crashes that has also forced the RCMP to shut down the QEII highway between Calgary and Red Deer.
Photos, posted by some motorists on social media, show a large number of vehicles in the ditch or involved in collisions with other vehicles.
The RCMP is also warning that if you do choose to venture out and “are involved in a collision, it will be a while before emergency crews get to you.”
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Zero visibility and multiple crashes prompted the RCMP to temporarily shut down this section of the QE2 highway between Calgary and Airdrie around noon on Wednesday.
Source: 511Alberta
Environment Canada has issued blowing snow advisories across a large swath of southern Alberta, with wind gusts of up to 100 km/hr expected along the QEII highway just south of Calgary and up to 130 km/hr along Highway 3, in the Crowsnest Pass area.
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In Edmonton, there’s a heavy snowfall warning for the area with up to 30 cm of snow expected by the time it tapers off Wednesday evening.
Areas further east, closer to the Saskatchewan border, are also under a winter storm warning with freezing rain eventually turning into heavy snow and strong, gusting winds.
1:33
Edmonton expecting heavy dump of snow
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