Crappy Alberta Weather.

Our long anticipated trip to Edmonton. What a farce. I should have just called it totally off. We had the concert tickets, the hotel booked and paid for as we knew weather like this could happen. I ultimately decided to make the decision and go as I didn't want to disappoint the kids.

A 21 car pileup including three semi's, thank god H was driving as he managed to get stopped in the shoulder and not get caught by any other vehicles, 33 in all were involved. So glad to get to the hotel.

Motorists in the Edmonton area may be in store for another white-knuckled drive today.

A combination of flurries and temperatures fluctuating above and below zero iced up roads over the weekend. And while crews have been cleaning city streets, the mercury is expected to remain below - 20 C as the new week begins.

Winter weather conditions led to a few delays at the Edmonton International Airport yesterday, said spokesman Traci Bednard.

"But it was certainly much better than it was (Saturday)," she said, referring to an incident where a small regional jet got stuck in about eight cm of snow while taxiing.

Bednard recommended that travellers check www.flyeia.com for flight statuses before leaving for the airport.

The weekend snowfall also made driving difficult on Alberta's highways, with some regions reporting high winds and drifting snow. That's why drivers should ensure they take proper precautions before hitting the open road, said AMA road reports co-ordinator Terry Clovechok.



"The best advice I can give is to educate yourself before you go out on your trip, and to look up future weather conditions," Clovechok said.

Motorists should also ensure that their tires are suitable for winter driving and that they have packed a blanket, candles and other supplies to keep safe and warm in case they get stranded on the highway, he said.

Once on the road, drivers are reminded to keep a safe distance from other vehicles, to stay out of other vehicles' blind spots, and to practise defensive driving techniques, Clovechok said.

And above all, motorists should take their time to get to their destinations.

"I heard of people going 140 kmh on the highway in this kind of weather," Clovechok said. "It's insane."

On Saturday night, heavy snowfall, high winds and limited visibility led to a head-on collision between a bus carrying a high school sports team and a car on Highway 2A near Blackfalds.

The female driver of the car was taken to hospital in critical condition after her car was sheared in half.

No one on the bus was injured. The crash closed Highway 2A for several hours.

Speed may have been a contributing factor in the crash, said Cpl. Irv Heide of the Red Deer RCMP. Driving was not recommended on the highway at the time, he added.