By Geoff Smith (@GeoffSmithLNN on Twitter)

City crews spending final day of year clearing snow

Dec 31, 2018 | 8:34 AM

LETHBRIDGE – City crews were busy dealing with a snowfall to end 2018.

Snowfall totals from Environment Canada weren’t available, but there was measurable accumulation on the ground Sunday, Dec. 30. The City of Lethbridge said it expected to have priority one roadways plowed and/or sanded Monday morning before moving on to priority two and three streets.

Priority one roads include Scenic Drive, Whoop-Up Drive, Mayor Magrath Drive, Métis Trail, University Drive, Bridge Drive, South Parkside Drive South, 43 Street North, 26 Avenue North, and portions of 5 Avenue North and 28 Street North.

As of 7:15 a.m. Monday, 511 Alberta reported that highways in all directions headed out of Lethbridge were still partly ice-covered. Highway 3 between Coaldale and Taber was reported as ice-covered.

The snow followed a powerful chinook Saturday that fed grass fires and caused damage in southern Alberta. Environment Canada said 511 Alberta recorded a 181 km/h gust north of Lundbreck.

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The weather agency’s own stations reported peak gusts of 137 at Waterton Park gate, 124 at Brocket, 115 at Pincher Creek, 109 at the Blood Reserve, 107 at Ardenville, 98 in Lethbridge, 96 in Bow Island, and 96 at Fincastle.

Following the wind and snow, temperatures plummeted in southern Alberta, though nowhere near the record cold of one year ago. A warmup is expected to begin on New Year’s Day.