A City of Estevan crew makes their way through a snow pile on 13th Avenue on the morning of December 27th.

Southeast Saskatchewan is digging out from yet another major snowstorm.

The heavy snow and strong winds blasted in from the United States, virtually shutting down most of Southeast Saskatchewan and southern Manitoba for Christmas day and part of Boxing Day.

Blizzard warnings were issued, with visibility down to zero in many locations.

The amount of snow that fell varied from one centre to another. "Snowfall amounts ranged, about 8 centimetres in the Weyburn area." said Mike MacDonald, a meteorologist with Environment Canada. "There was about 11 in Regina, 17 in Estevan, and the most that we got here at the weather office was 20 centimetres in Maryfield, which is near the Manitoba border." he added.

The system was accompanied by winds that gusted as high as 65 kilometres an hour.

Not just City crews are digging out. Hundreds of snowblowers have had more than their fair share of use over the Christmas holiday.

The border to the United States was closed at North Portal, because of road conditions in North Dakota.

Many highways in Manitoba were also shut down during the storm.

The area woke up to much calmer conditions on Tuesday. For the most part, highways were clear, with some minor drifting.

"Somewhat quieter weather for the next couple of days." added Macdonald. "There will be a weak system coming through tonight that may bring a centimetre or two of snow, but we're not expecting anything significant from that."

MacDonald said daytime highs will stay above normal in the week ahead, reaching zero by Friday.

Snow removal efforts in Estevan are ongoing. The City of Estevan reminds drivers to use caution when approaching snow removal equipment like graders, front-end loaders, and dump trucks. Snowblowing efforts are currently focused on main roads like King Street, 13th Avenue, and 4th Street. Plowing efforts for the most part have moved on to residential areas.