No record breaking snow fall in London, Ontario

Snowplows were busy Thursday digging Lucan out after the snow storm.

It dumped about 75 cm (29.5 in.) of snow on London starting Sun., but it was not as big a storm as forecast. It didn't break the Dec. '77 record for three consecutive days of snowfall, when about 100 cm (39 in.) of snow buried this Southwestern Ontario city.

Chris Scott, meteorologist for the Weather Network, reports that despite London being "squarely in the cross-hairs" of the severe lake-effect storm, Forest City residents have seen worse. 4 years ago, almost to the day, 60 cm (23.5 in.) fell in a 24-hour period on some areas of the city.

Still, the storm that started Sun. hit London with such fury that by noon people were canceling out of town trips. But the storm was focused on the city and on the country north of town. Those brave enough, or foolish enough to start for Toronto, discovered the storm weakened soon after leaving the eastern edge of the city. By the time travelers reached Woodstock, they had blue skies.

While a severe winter storm was causing white-outs in London, there were blue skies east of the city.

By dinner time Sun. the storm was closing down the city. Hwy. 401 in the south-end of town slowed to a crawl as scores of accidents played havoc with traffic. Hamilton Road, running above 401 near Dorchester, was plugged with transport trucks and cars attempting to skirt the freeway traffic problems.

A Lucan home with a monster snow drift on the roof.

Until late Wed. Hwy. 401 was winter-treacherous. At one point, a 17 vehicle pile-up of trucks, vans and cars between London and Woodstock delayed traffic for more than four hours. 

The chain-reaction accident occurred late Wed. morning and it was mid-afternoon before the westbound lanes were cleared and traffic back to normal.

While London was hit hard, with the university, college and city schools all closed, the cities three largest malls shutting down early, and banks and other businesses either refusing to open or locking up early, it was Lucan to the north of the city that took the full brunt of the storm.

By the time it was over, Lucan was buried under about 180 cm (71 in.) of snow. The snow started in Lucan Sunday and didn't stop, according to the CBC, until early Thursday morning. 

Many Lucan residents cannot recall as fierce a snow storm.

Lucan and London, Ont., have had about half their allotted snowfall already and winter hasn't even officially started.

One would think a white Christmas was surely in the cards for London and region, but maybe not. 

Rain is forecast for the region by the weekend. 

Medway Creek north of London is Christmas card pretty.