PRAIRIE SNOW STORM TODAY [Skycam and ground footage videos]

Rush hour chaos as the storm began to peak in intesity at 4:30pm. This footage was shot at Victoria and Broad Street in Regina, Saskatchewan. A winter storm warning is in effect with up to 15cm of snow expected overnight with wind gusts near 70km/hr. Visibility is only a few meters within the city and travel on highways in not at all recommended with zero visibility and quickly accumulating snow drifts. Highways may in fact be shut down after sunset across southern Saskatchewan. Please check the highway hotline for the latest conditions.

http://www.highways.gov.sk.ca/road-conditions/

UPDATE: Highway #1 is NOW CLOSED between Regina and Moose Jaw as of 5pm
(Reading reports of a crash involving a semi, ambulance and other vehicles on highway #1, stay tuned to the #skstorm feed in the right hand column for up to the second reports)

STAY SAFE

LIVE SKYCAM:

Damaging Wind Storm Sweeps The Prairies

Winds gusted near 100km/hr today in Regina breaking off tree branches and littering the snow with pine needles and twigs. One large branch was captured as it broke off in Wascana Park which made me jump a little and freaked a squirrel right out! Some reported gusts higher at the airport and downtown but no major damage reports as yet for Regina, unlike Saskatoon which held the peak gust report with Prince Albert at 107km/hr. Semi-tractor trailer units were toppled on the highways, a window was blown out of an office building, a cell phone tower fell over and major large trees were bent or broken.

Here is a collection of tweets from the wind storm today:

You are the Wind Beneath my Wings. And my overturned semi. #skstorm http://t.co/myNgMBILDO
— Chris Lane (@ChrisLaneCBC) January 15, 2014

It was a tad windy in Edmonton area today. Take a look at these photos. http://t.co/PEuoDHAMXw #yeg pic.twitter.com/QTGGZn4xvJ
— Simon Ostler (@SimonOstler) January 15, 2014

It was kind of windy last night. Let me know if you find my Stok BBQ cover? #abstorm pic.twitter.com/czNx63dFFs
— Sean Sommerfeld (@seansommerfeld) January 15, 2014

Wind causes window to pop out on city building. Emg services have blocked off area @GlobalSaskatoon #yxe #skstorm pic.twitter.com/WkqQZeNIrB
— Jessica Brown (@JessBGlobal) January 15, 2014

#yxe's max wind gust of 107 km/h was among #SK's top winds today! #skstorm details coming up @GlobalSaskatoon EN@6 pic.twitter.com/ZpKH26YKJ5
— Peter Quinlan (@PQuinlanGlobal) January 15, 2014

The aftermath of our neighbours roof that blew off. #skstorm #yxe @GlobalSaskatoon pic.twitter.com/WKEl8YitdK
— Joe Turner (@Jlturner) January 15, 2014

#skstorm RT @nheagy Cell tower blown down in Stonebridge #yxe pic.twitter.com/nH85oo0dYA (via @DJHardwired)
— The Weather Network (@weathernetwork) January 15, 2014

Thick Fog Downtown Regina, Saskatchewan at 4pm

With a major warm up this week, today steady at 8C and 93% humidity, thick fog has made highway driving very dangerous as frost accumulated on the roads and visibility is reduced. This is expected to change to heavy snow for some areas on Saturday as a big system crosses the Rocky Mountains. Snowfall warnings and advisories are now in place for much of southern BC. Saturday's latest forecast calls for temperatures to rise near 0C with light snow and gusty winds. This may be upgraded depending on the track of the storm. Stay Safe!