Parts of B.C. receive yearly snowfall average in 72 hours
theweathernetwork.com
Monday, February 6, 2017, 6:52 PM - Heavy snow continued across southern B.C. Monday, after a snowy weekend that saw some communities receive their entire yearly snowfall average in only 72 hours -- and another system on the horizon is set to deliver rainfall that could cause localized flooding.
Around 43 cm of snow fell in Powell River from Friday into Sunday, with an astonishing 77 cm recorded in Chilliwack. The community of Sparwood received some 60 cm of snow in only nine hours.
The snow shut down several school districts, closed parts of Highway 3 and Highway 31 and left more than 120,000 B.C. Hydro customers without power at the peak, though only around 2,200 remained by Monday afternoon.
As of mid-afternoon, most snowfall warnings had dropped in the interior, while for the lower mainland, things were slowly winding down, with the snow expected to come to an end in the evening.
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QUICK FACTS:
- Snowfall warnings dropping steadily across the province.
- Abbotsford and Chilliwack could pick up another 10+ cm Monday.
- Considerable to high avalanche risk in southern areas.
- Next system to arrive Thursday, with wet snow/mixing to start before a transition to rain.
The next one
And beyond, beginning Wednesday afternoon, is another system that could make for a complicated situation, as it coincides with a return to more seasonal temperatures, according to forecasters.
"The next system will come onto the coast for Wednesday evening and will start as snow thanks to some lingering cold air," Weather Network meteorologist Kevin MacKay said Monday.
Metro Vancouver will likely see around 5 cm, with higher amounts in the Fraser Valley.
However, the return of above-zero temperatures will trigger a switch to rain by Thursday, the rainiest day of the system, with on and off showers expected Friday as well. In all, some 30 mm of rain is expected, which could make for difficult situations in communities that have received significant snow over the past few days.
"Flooding will be a big issue with the current snow cover, rainfall and seasonal temperatures," MacKay says.
Check back for updates as we continue to monitor the forecast.
