A blast of winter paralyzed the region Wednesday, as high winds and blowing snow caused whiteouts and downed trees stranding motorists, closing schools and causing power outages.

Winds gusting at 55km/hour caused wind chill temperatures to drop to minus 25ºC and whiteout conditions led Grey County OPP to close all provincial highways and county roads in the county by mid-morning, including Highway 26 from Thornbury to Owen Sound and all Grey County Roads, leaving Meaford and several other communities isolated. All area schools were closed and exams at Georgian Bay Secondary School had to be rescheduled.

In the wake of the storm, Grey County OPP were praising local residents for staying home and not driving on closed roads.

"The vast majority of drivers in Grey County made the right decision and chose to stay off the roads," said Media Relations Officer Steve Starr.

"As a result, during the storm a grand total of six motor vehicle collisions were reported to Grey County OPP, and when investigated, it turned out that two of those were stuck or abandoned vehicles, two were vehicles in the ditch (one caused when a car swerved around a couple of downed trees) and one was a car-versus-guide rail. In fact only one crash, involving two vehicles was reported and that only involved minor property."

He added that when the area plow operators were able to resume operations, all roads were quickly reopened without incident.

Starr reported that there were actually fewer collisions then the daily norm. "No tragic traffic-related deaths or injuries and roads re-opened first thing the next morning.  Congratulations Grey County on making one of the worst storms of the season pretty much a non-event," he said.

Starr said the decision to close a road isn't taken lightly, but Wednesday's powerful winds and snowfall combined to produce zero visibility at times, creating a  risk to persons and property that can't be overlooked.

Starr said most - but not all - drivers decided to stay off the roads.

He said an officer on patrol on Highway 10 between Markdale and Berkeley around 4 p.m. found a car stopped at the side of the road. At the time all Provincial Highways and County Roads in the County of Grey were closed to traffic by Police Order.

After speaking with the female driver,  he decided she was in no shape to drive and placed her under arrest for impaired driving. She was returned to the detachment where a breathalyzer test was administered. The result was over four times over the legal limit, in excess of 300 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood.

As a result, a 50-year-old Markdale woman faces Criminal Code charges of impaired driving. She is scheduled to appear in the Owen Sound court on March 20.

Later in the evening, when the highways had been re-opened, police arrested a Brampton truck driver following allegations of a tractor-trailer being driven in an erratic manner on a highway south of Owen Sound.

Grey County OPP report that a passenger vehicle, southbound on 6 and 10 Highway at about the speed limit (80 km/h) was being followed closely by a tractor-trailer that was straddling the centerline seemingly waiting for an opportunity to pass.

As the vehicles entered the village of Chatsworth and the speed limit dropped  to 50 km/h, the tractor-trailer combination pulled into the oncoming lane and remained there all the way to the junction of Highway 10, on a section of road that contains a hill and curve that greatly reduces or eliminates the ability of traffic to see oncoming vehicles. The entire stretch is marked with a solid double centreline.

The truck, southbound in the northbound lane of 6 and 10 Highway, turned left onto Highway 10 mounting curbs at the corner. In the process, the car being passed drove over a curb to ensure safe passage. An off-duty OPP officer who witnessed what had occurred intervened and placed his car in the path of the truck as he signaled the driver to pull over.

The driver of the car, a woman accompanied by her children, stopped to assist as they waited for an on-duty officer to arrive. Grey County OPP attended and after conducting an investigation, the 40-year-old driver of the truck was arrested and charged with  dangerous driving. He was been released and is scheduled to appear in Owen Sound court on March 20.

Starr said it is an offence to drive on a closed road and subject to a fine of $110 under the Highway Traffic Act. In addition, the same act stipulates that the road authority with jurisdiction is not liable for any damage sustained by a person using a roadway that is closed to traffic.

"For those who still aren't convinced, ask yourself a few simple questions before you head out: Will I be found if I am involved in a minor collision or get stuck? Can I abandon my vehicle in safety? Can emergency services respond to assist me if I'm involved in a serious collision? Will my insurance company cover me, given the potential for damages and civil litigation?

"As you can see, when it's all said and done, the Highway Traffic Act fine for using a closed road may ultimately be the least of your worries. Using a closed road is illegal, dangerous and risky," said Starr.