RCMP warn to stay off Highway 63 as freezing rain causes crashes, traffic standstill

Drivers intending to head up Highway 63 to Fort McMurray, Alta., are being advised by RCMP to sit tight on Friday afternoon as road conditions were poor due to freezing rain.

Around 12:30 p.m., Wood Buffalo RCMP said officers were on scene at Highway 63 northbound, near Mariana Lake, where conditions continue to deteriorate after rain fell and froze on the road.

Both northbound lanes of the main route to Fort Mac are nearly impassable as they remain covered with ice, police said.

That caused multiple vehicles, including semi tractor trailers, to stop in the driving lanes or leave the road altogether.

Vehicles are currently at a standstill until road crews are able to respond to the area, police said Friday afternoon.

Fort McMurray resident Mike Johnston was stuck in the traffic backlog north of Crow Lake, where several semis hit the ditch.

He said the highway was a skating rink north of Wandering River and cautioned other drivers it wasn’t worth travel on. RCMP said drivers are asked to avoid travel in the area until further notice.

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RCMP said officers have responded to multiple collision throughout the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and urged motorists to use extreme caution if choosing to travel.

Environment Canada issued a freezing rain warning for northeastern Alberta on Friday morning.

The weather agency said freezing rain is falling near the Alberta – Saskatchewan border and over western regions of northern Saskatchewan, and will move east throughout the afternoon.

The freezing rain will taper off later in the afternoon into Friday evening.

Further west, snow in the Whitecourt area led to RCMP issuing a warning to drivers in that region Friday morning.

Driving conditions on Highway 43 were extremely poor due to snow, RCMP said earlier Friday morning, adding officers there were also responding to reports of multiple vehicles, including semi tractor trailers in the ditches and extremely long traffic backups.

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