Story perspectives

90 km/h Winds Cancel Calgary Parade, Close Highway 63

4/25/2026

Center

RCMP Rescues

Calgary’s Parade of Wonders was cancelled and moved indoors after wind gusts hit 90 km/h during the prairie snowstorm.
RCMP Staff Sergeant Sabrina Clayton reported Highway 63 near Fort McMurray became impassable from 60-cm snow drifts, stranding motorists.
Tow trucks escorted by RCMP delivered food, water and helped EMS evacuate a medication-dependent patient.
Mayor Sandy Bowman dispatched six buses as Manitoba Hydro reported outages and planned Saturday restoration.

Right

RCMP bans towing

Alberta police urged motorists to stay off the roads and consult the Alberta 511 service until snow improves.
The Alberta RCMP banned all tows on Highway 21 and Highway 16 after blowing and drifting snow made travel unsafe.
Reduced visibility made tow operations too hazardous, according to RCMP officials, reinforcing the safety order.
Manitoba Hydro reported outages in First Nations and planned Saturday repairs, showing a restoration effort.

Blindspot

Center coverage emphasized the cancellation and indoor relocation of Calgary’s Parade of Wonders due to wind gusts, a detail absent from Right coverage.
Center coverage also highlighted Mayor Sandy Bowman’s deployment of six buses with essential supplies to stranded motorists on Highway 63, which Right coverage did not include.

History

Historical Context

The 1998 North American ice storm struck Canada and the United States, adding to a string of late-1990s winter extremes. The following January 1999 Blizzard dumped heavy snow across the Midwest and southern Canada, highlighting recurring vulnerability. These events prompted provincial and state authorities to invest in winter-ready infrastructure and strengthen power-grid resilience.

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RCMP Rescues

Calgary’s Parade of Wonders was cancelled and moved indoors after wind gusts hit 90 km/h during the prairie snowstorm.
RCMP Staff Sergeant Sabrina Clayton reported Highway 63 near Fort McMurray became impassable from 60-cm snow drifts, stranding motorists.
Tow trucks escorted by RCMP delivered food, water and helped EMS evacuate a medication-dependent patient.
Mayor Sandy Bowman dispatched six buses as Manitoba Hydro reported outages and planned Saturday restoration.

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