Storm that left 1,500 vehicles stranded overnight on Trans-Canada Highway
The road conditions were so bad that 1,500 vehicles were stranded overnight.
This Day In Weather History is a daily podcast by Chris Mei from The Weather Network, featuring stories about people, communities and events and how weather impacted them.
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On Nov. 19, 2008, Nova Scotia had its first snowfall of the season. The province was not prepared for the snowy, wet, windy conditions. The storm left 1,500 cars and trucks stranded overnight on the Trans-Canada Highway near the Cobequid Pass.
The Cobequid Pass is in northern Nova Scotia, so the region is used to extreme weather conditions. However, drivers were not ready for this storm. Many vehicles didn't have winter tires on, yet, which is one reason why the incident was so extensive.
Courtesy: Al Varney/Facebook
The storm started in the late afternoon. The streets were slippery and visibility was deteriorating.
It all started with a few trucks that crashed into each other. The accident led to more accidents which ultimately led to a blockage in the highway.
The worsening weather conditions and the increased traffic bottleneck prevented plows and emergency vehicles from getting through.
People were stranded on the Trans-Canada for up to 16 hours. A lot went down during that time. To hear more about the subsequent incidents that occurred due to the blockage, listen to today's episode of "This Day In Weather History."
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