Snowstorm Update for Woodstock, Oxford County

Friday, 8 February 2013 10:08

Southern Ontario is getting burried in a blanket of snow that hasn't been seen in the last 5-years. Environment Canads Senior climatologist David Phillips says the storm arrived a little later than expected, but has delivered snowfalls that were right on target with the agency's forecasts. Around 20 centimetres has already fallen in the Woodstock-area, and with more on the way, it's expected to be the biggest snowfall in the region since 2008. The snow is expected to continue until early this evening. (In Photo: Heart FM's John Harada brushing the snow off of vehicles) Schools, community centres, and some workplaces have closed for the day. (full listing below) So it's not as busy out on the roads, but there has been a fair share of issues. There have been no crashes involving injuries so far today in Oxford County. OPP Constable Stacey Culbert says it's a good day to stay inside and wait out the storm. "We have to give credit where credit is due to the road/snow removal crews today. They're going to be working and doing their best, we just have to be patient." Culbert says if you have to go out, here's a key driving tip to keep in mind. "Keep a safe distance between you and the vehicle infront of you, and behind you. Tailgating is not a practice we want to be seeing in this kind of weather, irregardless if you have a 4X4 vehicle. The person infront of you has adjusted their speed and may be driving slower, give them a proper distance." If you're stuck on the street you live on, depending on which street, it may be a while before you can get out. As the storm continues, Woodstock's crews plowing the streets are just trying to maintain the major roads in the city. As City Engineer Harold DeHaan told Heart FM yesterday, they wait until the snow is finished before tackling the residential areas. "Our standard is to clear all the roads in the city within 24-36 hours after the snow event has stopped. During the actual event, we'll concentrate on the main routes as they need it. And then once it's done, we give ourselves 24-36 hours to clear off the rest of the roads." And with the amount of snow that has fallen, that standard could be pushed to the limit. City Transit is running today, but some routes are running behind schedule. Garbage pick-up both in Woodstock and Tillsonburg has been cancelled for the day, but will be picked up Saturday morning, although you might want to make sure it's not hidden under a mound of snow. Several programs and events have been cancelled today, which is posted below. You can also call in your cancellations to 537-8040, or e-mail them to news@1047.ca Also follow us on Twitter @1047HeartFM for traffic, weather and cancellation updates throughout the day.