Calgary’s latest burst of spring snow turned the Thursday morning commute into a difficult and at times dangerous crawl, with slick roads, poor visibility and crashes reported across the city. What began as a mix of rain and snow on Wednesday evening quickly became a bigger traffic problem once temperatures dropped, leaving major routes icy by early morning.
Police were already busy overnight. Reports said officers responded to 30 non-injury crashes, 10 injury collisions and seven hit-and-runs between 6 p.m. and midnight as conditions worsened across Calgary. Drivers described some stretches as a “skating rink,” a sharp reminder that spring storms in Alberta can still feel like mid-winter when pavement temperatures fall fast.
The biggest disruption came on Deerfoot Trail near Glenmore Trail, where a multi-vehicle crash involving up to a dozen vehicles forced a shutdown of northbound lanes for a period overnight. Several people were reported to have suffered minor injuries, but no serious injuries were reported. Southbound trouble was also reported in the same general corridor as the storm pushed traffic into a slow, tense and stop-start commute.
Roads across Calgary saw closures and heavy delays
Thursday morning brought fresh trouble in the northeast as a single-vehicle rollover near 52 Street and McKnight Boulevard NE led to another closure, with McKnight shut in both directions between 52 Street and 68 Street NE for a time. The combination of fresh snowfall, blowing snow and compacted slush created the kind of driving surface that can quickly punish even cautious commuters.
City crews worked through the night on major routes including Deerfoot, Stoney, Crowchild and Glenmore Trails, trying to keep traffic moving as snowfall continued. Officials said the city had equipment and staff in place, but also warned that bridges, overpasses and exit ramps could remain especially slippery through the morning.
The wider weather picture added to the concern. A snowfall warning remained in effect for Calgary and other parts of southern Alberta, with forecasts pointing to continued snow through Thursday and reduced visibility in blowing snow. In Calgary itself, several more centimetres were expected, while areas northeast of the city faced even heavier totals. The official advisory from Environment and Climate Change Canada also warned that travel conditions could deteriorate quickly.
For commuters, the storm served up a familiar Calgary contradiction: a city that had been leaning into spring only to wake up to snow-packed roads and collision alerts. Flurries were expected to taper later in the day, but the morning damage to traffic flow had already been done. Even when the snow begins easing, the mess left behind on ramps and untreated stretches can keep the drive home difficult long after the heaviest snowfall ends.
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