Stuck in a blizzard for 15 hours, and other tales from the road

The warm, breezy days of yester-monthare but a distant memory and bitter reminder for the people of Saskatchewan as they give into the cold embrace of March.

Gusting winds and blowing snow have shut down highways in Manitoba and southern Saskatchewan. Commuters are stranded, either waiting in their vehicles or renting hotel rooms until it blows over.

In the case of Jackson Creighton, a routine trip that should have only taken a few hours was dragged out for more than a day.

• Zero visibility, blowing snow shutting down Saskatchewan highways
• Blizzard conditions cancel flights in Regina

Creighton, who lives in Moosomin, Sask., made a trip to nearby Brandon, Man., with his girlfriend and a friend.

There was just some fog on the drive there, giving him hope the trek home could be made. When they were ready to commute back to Saskatchewan, though, the blizzard was in full force.

Don't be in a hurry. You can't have no road rageor rush.- ArtBueckert

"At least we were thinking a little bit ahead," he recalled. "We filled up with gas and we had actually bought some groceries before we headed out, so we had food and water and lots of gas for the night."

Creighton said he was a little stubborn and thought he could wait out the blizzard.

He thought wrong.

• Woman killed, 6 injured in Highway 1 multi-vehicle crash

He drove about 20 kilometres outside of Brandon when they stopped behind some semi-trucks. Creighton estimates the group sat there, on the road, for about 15 hours.

• Rescues underway for drivers stranded on snow-clogged Manitoba highways

Estevan, Sask.,Mayor Roy Ludwigwarned people not to be out on the roads unless it was absolutely necessary.

"I came in last night and it was brutal, brutal on the highway," Ludwig said.

In Saskatoon, trucker Art Bueckertsaid keeping calm is key when it comes to poor road conditions.

"Don't be in a hurry. You can't have no road rageor rush," he said.

Highway 1to east to Balgonie, Sask., and west to Belle Plaine, Sask., from Regina were closed Tuesday afternoon due topoor weather.