That first wallop of winter is headed our way.  Twenty centimeters of snow is expected to fall overnight and into the morning commute.  The storm is likely to begin this evening. You can feel it in the air; the calm before the storm. And, after shoveling 20 centimeters Wednesday, you will probably feel it in your back.  Unless, of course, your snow blower is primed and ready to go.

At the Triole Small Engine Repair shop on Ottawa’s Star Top Road, one snow blower is fixed and ready to roll; about one hundred are lined up, ready for repair..

"It's crazy,” says small engine repair mechanic Andre Lauzon, “we're about a month behind and it doesn't stop. It doesn't stop. The snow's coming and everybody's in a panic.”

Everyone, including John Saikaly, who was hoping to sneak his broken machine in before the storm hits.

"That's why I’m in a rush to get it back and have it,” says Saikaly, “there is a bit of a worry.”

Otherwise, he is stuck with the old fashioned way – shoveling the snow.

“Yes, the old fashioned way and I don't like that at all.”

Mike Poirier is the owner of Triole Small Engine Repairs, “Unfortunately a lot of people wait too long to bring (their broken snowblowers) in.  They should bring them in early in the season so they get them done in time.”

On a much larger scale, the city of Ottawa is getting its snow removal equipment ready; all 580 pieces of it. The biggest issue, of course, will be tomorrow morning's commute in. 

Kevin Wylie is the Manager of Road and Traffic Operations for the City of Ottawa, “It looks like the heaviest accumulation will happen over the morning commute so the challenge will be to make sure the arterial roads are clear in time for the commute so people can get to where they need to go.”

Overnight parking restrictions will go into place tonight for the city of Ottawa between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m. That means vehicles are banned from parking on any city street so that crews can clear them effectively. On-street parking permit holders are exempt from this restriction.  Wylie says the parking ban occurs any time Environment Canada forecasts an accumulation of more than 7 centimeters, which is the case for this storm which is expected to bring between 15 and 20 centimeters.

Paramedics say people need to get ready, too, for that first heavy shovel of the year. Stretch, take breaks and heed the warning signs.

"There could be shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting,” says J.P. Trottier with Ottawa Paramedic Services, “but the first clear sign is that heaviness in your chest and when that happens, stop what you're doing and you should call 911.”  

The Ottawa Student Transportation Authority governs bus cancellations policies.  Vicky Kyriaco, the General Manager of OSTA says they look at the weather report every four hours to make that determination, including the temperature, wind speed and snowfall.  By 5:30 a.m., the OSTA says it will come up with a decision as to whether the buses will be cancelled but school boards stress this does not mean that schools are closed.