9 schools closed and roads slow as blowing snow continues in region Tuesday

The season's first blast of winter weather continued Tuesday in the region and north of the city with some schools and school purpose vehicles cancelled and plows out in force on the roads. 

Nine London-area schools are closed, the Thames Valley District School Board announced Tuesday morning. 

They are Medway High School, Centennial Central Public School, Oxbow Public School, Valleyview Public School, North Middlesex District High School, East Williams Memorial Public School, McGillivray Central Public School, Parkhill-West Williams Public School and Wilberforce Public School.

People found themselves knee deep in snow as the week got going with Environment Canada predicting continued snow squalls across the day, and an additional five to 10 cm expected to fall. 

Lake effect snow squalls off Lake Huron saw upward of 30 cm hit some parts of the region yesterday making travel hazardous with wind blowing show and deep accumulation. At the same time, other communities, mostly southwest of London toward Sarnia, saw minimal amounts of snow. 

"Winds can be variable. They move around so they spread the misery to many areas," Environment Canada climatologist Dave Phillips said. 

"It's quite an experience where you can't see the hood on your car, you can't see the hand in front of you, then you drive 20 kilometres and you're out in the sun and the blue sky and the white puffy clouds," he added.

Phillips said that until the lakes freeze over, Londoners can expect a snowy December. 

In Middlesex County, residents are facing morning fog in addition to overnight snowfall, said county engineer Chris Traini.

"We saw a bit of heavier snow in the eastern and northern parts of the county yesterday, but it certainly is more widespread today," Traini said. "It's pretty much touched all sides of the county."

He said crews have been out plowing overnight.

"We're asking people to be patient while the fog slowly burns off and to continue to allow our crews to clear the snow," Traini said. 

Ontario Provincial Police continued to tell drivers to avoid non-essential travel Tuesday until conditions approved. Multiple crashes were reported overnight, OPP reported on social media. 

School buses have been cancelled in the City of London, Middlesex County and the Red Zone for the day. Routes in Elgin and Oxford County are expected to start on schedule.