Iqaluit was mostly shut down for the day on Friday, as the city dealt with its first significant blizzard of the season.
The Nunavut capital was under a severe weather warning for most of the day, with “visibility occasionally near zero” because of blowing snow, according to Environment Canada.
City services were suspended, including water delivery, waste management, garbage pickup and snow removal. City facilities were also closed to the public, as were schools.
Residents were advised to stay off the roads. They were also asked to reduce water usage and waste water output by not using dishwashers or laundry machines for the time being.
Environment Canada is forecasting the blizzard conditions to ease on Friday evening, with winds dying down and snow tapering off. Total snow accumulation will be about 15 to 20 centimetres, with big drifts due to wind.
City residents — most hunkered down at home for the day — took to social media to share images and video of the white-out conditions.
Spent 5 minutes outside to shovel the front door so the dogs can go out. Totally covered head to toe in snow and soaked to the bone. Stay inside! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iqaluit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#Iqaluit</a> <a href=”https://t.co/VaE7kTor2u”>pic.twitter.com/VaE7kTor2u</a>
—@madinuk
The camera lost focus. It’s just a lot of snow and windy. Drifts everywhere. Stay safe! <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/iqaluit?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#iqaluit</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/nunavut?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#nunavut</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/snow?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#snow</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/wind?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#wind</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/storm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#storm</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/NUStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#NUStorm</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/ShareYourWeather?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>#ShareYourWeather</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/MurphTWN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@MurphTWN</a> <a href=”https://twitter.com/weathernetwork?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>@weathernetwork</a> <a href=”https://t.co/A0V5gWESJn”>pic.twitter.com/A0V5gWESJn</a>
—@NaulaqKaani
? Iqaluit, Nunavut <a href=”https://t.co/YjGsohpBgN”>pic.twitter.com/YjGsohpBgN</a>
—@uyarakq
In other news, it has begun. <a href=”https://t.co/UUyjUJllBU”>pic.twitter.com/UUyjUJllBU</a>
—@DustinPatar
Happy Friday! I got to sleep in this fine Friday morning, we woke up to a blizzard here in Iqaluit. I remember when I was a kid/teen my neighbour friend and I would play out in this weather, we would make snow forts and take jumps off of and slide down hills. Those were the days. <a href=”https://t.co/Mg9LRneFNf”>pic.twitter.com/Mg9LRneFNf</a>
—@AOotova
Just to get a sense of how much snow has fallen/blown in Iqaluit’s first blizzard of the year. <a href=”https://t.co/a6ugR02W5c”>pic.twitter.com/a6ugR02W5c</a>
—@NickMurray91
