Falling ice damages cars, snow blankets Metro Vancouver
theweathernetwork.com
Monday, December 5, 2016, 7:33 PM - Snowfall warnings were in effect Monday afternoon for a part of Canada not used to having them: Metro Vancouver.
WINTER IS HERE: With La Niña helping shape global patterns what will Canadians expect from winter? Find out with The Weather Network’s 2016 Winter Forecast | FORECAST & MAPS HERE
An earlier snowfall warning was originally dropped for the city and the metro as the day wore on, but was later reissued when the flakes began to fall once again, before being dropped again in the early evening.
"Intense flurries have redeveloped over areas of Metro Vancouver," Environment Canada said in the afternoon. "Snowfall accumulations will vary widely across the region. Some areas are not expecting snow to accumulate while others could see an additional 5 cm before the band dissipates."
The snow is a result of Arctic air washing over the pole from Siberia and into Alaska, bringing frigid temperatures to the Prairies, and setting up southern British Columbia to see snow, which began in some areas Sunday night.
Heading out for more #BCSnow coverage for @weathernetwork - #BCStorm 🌨❄️ pic.twitter.com/jdjdHOs4wk
— Krissy Vann (@KrissyVann) December 5, 2016
By Monday evening, some 5 cm had fallen at the Vancouver airport, and travel was difficult across the metro.
TransLink BC reported transit delays in "most areas" on Monday, advising commuters to allow extra time due to SkyTrain, HandyDART, and bus service disruptions.
Classes were cancelled at Simon Fraser University's Burnaby Mountain campus and while the University of British Columbia remained open, the school's website advised very few classes were actually running, and cautioned students to take care on "treacherous" roads.
Aside from travel hassles, some motorists traversing the Alex Fraser Bridge suffered damage to their vehicles due to falling snow and ice.
Beware of #SnowBombs on the Alex Fraser Bridge. Our traffic expert @KuljeetKaila sent us these pics! Careful driving out there. pic.twitter.com/1xGf4caaNa
— LG 104.3 (@LG1043) December 5, 2016
The system should have pushed south into Washington state by Tuesday morning, leaving icy temperatures in its wake. High temperatures through Thursday are expected to hover near the freezing mark for much of the South Coast.
It's this lingering Arctic outbreak event that could spell yet another round of snowy weather for Vancouver and Victoria later this week, with the potential for more significant accumulations.
A strong low approaching the coast on Thursday will bring some relief to the below-seasonal temperatures, as milder Pacific air starts to fight its way back into the region over the weekend.
But the leading edge of that system mixing with the entrenched cold air sets up the potential for another round of convective snowfall Thursday and Friday.
The timing and exact nature of this next storm are still up in the air, as models work to resolve the details of the low as it makes its way across the Pacific.
Stay tuned to the Weather Network for updates on this system as it develops.
With files from Caroline Floyd and Daniel Martins.