By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

Mother Nature fires initial volley of winter weather and claims a life

Dec 4, 2016 | 5:51 PM

LETHBRIDGE –    In spite of the ‘days-old’ forecast and the Environment Canada snowfall warning the night before, many Southern Albertans were still surprised when the cold and white ‘stuff’ hit on Sunday.

The drop in temperature quickly played havoc with roads, causing fender-benders, sending vehicles into ditches and is responsible for at least one fatality.

In Lethbridge, at 2:30 police closed Whoop-Up Drive because of the icy conditions, as they waited for sanding trucks.   At 3:30-pm, Police also closed Bridge Drive and recommended that if travel could be avoided, people should remain home for the evening.

By 5:30, police reported that Whoop Up drive was open but, speed was reduced to 60-kmph, and Bridge Drive was reopened a short time later.

RCMP were kept busy with reports of collisions and vehicles in the ditch all around Southern Alberta, and Coaldale officers responded to numerous collisions on Highway 3 just west of the Coalhurst access.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

The worst case was a collision around 3:00-pm.    A semi-truck hauling a trailer eastbound on Highway 3 came upon a four vehicle collision at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 509 partially obstructing the eastbound lanes of Highway 3.  When the semi slowed down a car following the unit did not slow down, slid on the icy highway and struck the rear of the trailer causing significant damage to the driver’s side of the car. The driver, a 67 year old Lethbridge woman, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Westbound traffic on Highway 3 was restricted to a single lane. Eastbound traffic was re-routed for several hours to enable a traffic reconstructionist to assist with this investigation.

Shortly after 6:00-pm, Environment Canada ended the snowfall Warning for most of the area north of Claresholm but, the warning continued for the rest of the southwest region.