WeatherFanatics: Signs of Wild Winter Persist: Canadian City Deals With Frozen Pipes as June Nears

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Signs of Wild Winter Persist: Canadian City Deals With Frozen Pipes as June Nears

By Katy Galimberti, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

June 1,2014; 1:01AM,EDT

See larger image below.

The city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, has not been able to shake the winter blues just yet. After a brutal winter, residents are still fighting the impact of frigid weather, even with current temperatures hitting 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Over 450 properties in the area still have frozen water pipes, leaving hundreds without running water. Winnipeg continues to face the highest number of frozen water pipes in 35 years.
"All of the continued patches of very cold temperatures drove frost to go deeper," said Randy Hull, Winnipeg emergency preparedness coordinator.
Frost levels penetrated an average 8-9 feet below the ground.

Pipes freeze as winter unleashes its wrath of snow and ice (Photo/Suzanne Carlsson)
Hull explained that the top 4 feet have thawed out, but they estimate there is still 4-5 feet of ground that has not warmed up enough.
AccuWeather Meteorologist Eric Leister said that temperatures were significantly below normal from January through April.
"This long duration of cold air preceding this month has caused the ground to be frozen to deep levels. Even though it is warm now, the ground is still frozen," he said.
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City officials were surprised that there were four new reports of frozen pipes over the past weekend, a further evidence of just how cold the ground is after such a bitter winter.
To service residents, there are three resource centers and 11 shower facilities throughout the city for those who haven't found alternative ways to get running water.
The city was able to use temporary hose lines to provide water to 996 properties and also offer reimbursements to those who could not wait for the city and hired a private contractor. Leister said it could still be a matter of weeks before the ground catches up to the season and pipes completely thaw out.
While the city can't change the temperature, they are going to use this year as a learning example and urge residents to take more preventative measures next year.
Hull estimated that between February and March, the city received 100 reports of frozen pipes per day, a number they hope to decrease next winter.
As for now, all they can do is wait for the last remnant of winter to melt away.