The Lethbridge Police Service has responded to a few collisions on the day of the first major snowfall. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Police & plows busy as Lethbridge faces first major snowfall

Nov 24, 2025 | 12:27 PM

Much of southern Alberta could see upwards of 20 cm of snow on Monday, a mild storm that has kept many municipal officials busy.

Tony Ramotowski, Sgt. with the Lethbridge Police Service (LPS) Traffic Unit, says his officers had been called to at least a few collisions throughout the city on Monday morning.

None of the collisions so far have been considered to be “major,” but he says an uptick in unsafe driving behaviour is to be expected during the first big snowfall of the season.

Ramotowski explains that black ice is the biggest concern, as it can often be difficult to see.

Many of the other factors leading to more collisions come down to driver behaviour, which is why he is asking all motorists to be careful and to slow down for the conditions.

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“If the speed limit is, say it’s 80 kilometres an hour – that’s the maximum speed limit on a dry, paved road. When the winter comes and the roads are [covered in] ice and snow, that could be reduced to 40 or 50, no problem, just because it’s safe to do so,” says Ramotowski.

The Sgt. explains that patience and planning ahead are key to staying safe on the roads during winter. By leaving just 10 minutes earlier than you would in the summer, you can safely navigate difficult driving conditions more easily and account for any slowdowns in traffic.

He is also urging anyone who does not yet have their winter tires on to book the next available appointment.

“Make sure the tires you have on aren’t low tread, make sure you keep up the condition of your vehicle, and if the shops are booked up, book two weeks in advance. It’s November, people should know that the snow is coming.”

Another part of winter driving safety is the City of Lethbridge ensuring that the streets are kept as clear of snow and ice as possible.

The City says its plows and sanding trucks hit the streets early Monday morning.

They tackle streets on a priority system, meaning that they will get to busier roads like Whoop-Up Drive, Scenic Drive, and Mayor Magrath Drive before ones that see less traffic.

Snow routes have not yet been declared, but the City says it will declare and activate snow routes in response to heavy snow accumulation. The three stages of snow routes are:

• Declared – Residents on snow routes have 24 hours to move parked vehicles off the street. No plowing occurs
• Active – No parking allowed on snow routes. Plows will clear snow to the right. Parked vehicles may be plowed in or ticketed
• Deactivated – On-street parking on snow routes can resume

What to know and do when snow routes are declared:

• Snow routes are identified with a blue snowflake tab above snow route parking signs. The community is reminded to look for signs and make sure they are aware of the snow route status before using the adjacent on-street parking
• When the routes are declared active, temporary on-street parking restrictions apply. Residents and visitors must move all vehicles and find alternative parking when snow routes are active
• This year, the Windrow Assistance Service is being piloted for a second year to help residents along snow routes who struggle to manage the windrow
• Download the Lethbridge Loop app to get notified when snow routes are declared, active and deactivated
• Follow the live snow plow map

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for much of southern Alberta on Monday. Learn more in the article linked below.

READ MORE: 10-20 cm of snow expected Monday in southern Alberta