Early snow has Islanders scrambling to change their tires

A record snowfall on Tuesday caught a lot of Islanders bare-treaded, if the rush of calls to P.E.I. tire shops is any indication.

Calls to a number of tire shops Wednesday afternoon suggested if you haven't made an appointment yet there are few options for getting winter tires installed this month.

At Coast Tire in Charlottetown, manager Ernie Stanley said there were "at least 80 people that called today wanting to get their tires on." At the time CBC News called, that left him with one appointment Nov. 29 and a few on the last day of the month.

Hicken's Tirecraft in Summerside was also booked through to Nov. 29. Canadian Tire in Charlottetown had no appointments until Dec. 6.

OK Tire in Charlottetown is an option if you are in a hurry, because it doesn't take appointments, but there is a catch.

Wednesday's appointments were all filled by 7:20 a.m. A number of people left their vehicles to be first in line for Thursday.

A special weather statement from Environment Canada says there is more snow coming. Starting Friday midday, it could bring as much as 15 centimetres of snow by Saturday morning.

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With files from Sarah MacMillan