Winter blast snarls travel along B.C. coast as snow intensifies
With snowfall increasing on the B.C. South Coast Sunday, motorists are urged to take extra care on the roads if they have to travel anywhere. Upwards of 25 cm of snowfall are expected for parts of the region
A multi-day snowfall event for the B.C. coast is ramping up Sunday as a low-pressure system stations itself in the Strait of Georgia.
The snowfall is timed well with the outcome of Groundhog Day on Sunday, with more than half of them in Canada indicating six more weeks of winter.
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Be prepared for difficult travel to continue Sunday and linger into Monday as the snow sticks around. Sudden changes in road conditions and visibility are expected throughout the Lower Mainland and parts of Vancouver Island.
Some areas in the North Shore region could wind up seeing 30 cm of snowfall, with more than 20 cm potentially piling up in Vancouver.
Stay aware of weather alerts in your area and keep up with the latest highway conditions before heading out.
Through Monday:
As we progress through Sunday, periods of locally heavy snow will continue around the Lower Mainland, with additional amounts expected. Reduced visibility can be anticipated in the heaviest bands, so expect significant travel slowdowns.
As of 9 a.m. local time, 16 cm of snowfall has been reported in East Vancouver.
"Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow," Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says in the snowfall warning for Metro Vancouver.
Converging winds along the North Shore and regions south of the North Shore Mountains will increase snowfall rates. Some areas here may see up to 20 cm of accumulation during periods of heavy snowfall.
The low-pressure system will help press Arctic air toward the coast through the overnight hours Sunday into Monday. Bands of heavy snow will continue rotating across the South Coast through the overnight period, bringing more heavy snowfall across Metro Vancouver.
WATCH: Vancouver's forecast for the next 24 hours
Periods of snow will continue across the Lower Mainland into the first half of Monday before tapering off by the afternoon hours. However, snow will ramp up for parts of Vancouver Island.
Heading into Monday night and early Tuesday, we’ll see strait-effect snow continue for eastern Vancouver Island. Heavy snowfall is expected around Tofino and Ucluelet as winds converge over the area. We’ll see lingering snow for the Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island.
As well, heavy snow bands will target the Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island, extending from the Saanich Peninsula to the Comox Valley.
It is expected to be a highly impactful, strait-effect snow event with road closures, school cancellations and significant travel disruptions on Monday and Tuesday.
The Arctic chill will continue beyond the end of the snowfall. Once the snowfall subsides on Tuesday on Vancouver Island, daytime highs will dive to well below-seasonal values. The added snowpack on the ground will add an extra chill with clearing skies.
The pattern will be good news for the province's ski resorts. It will help replenish the ski hills with some fresh, new snow and finally bring winter to coastal sections, which have been missing it so far this season.
Thumbnail courtesy of DriveBC, taken on Highway 1 at the Mountain Highway exit.
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