Bundle up! Snowfall warning in the forecast for B.C.'s South Coast

Just days after a storm brought incessant rain to the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, another system is bringing precipitation back into the forecast — but not the torrential kind.

Meteorologists are expecting between five and 20 centimetres of wet, heavy snow beginning Tuesday morning. Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning covering an area from Metro Vancouver to the Fraser Valley, as well as the Sunshine Coast.

"We are remaining in a fairly active storm pattern. Today, we do get a break, but on the horizon is a fairly cold storm flipping down the coast," Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erven said Monday.

While the stubborn, cold air hanging over the area will lead to widespread flurries, the snow could also be mixed with rain, depending on location. Those closer to sea level will likely see more rain, but those higher up will get the brunt of the snow.

A heavy snowfall across the region in mid-January turned to ice and slush before melting days later, creating miserable conditions on the roads. Meteorologists said Tuesday's snowfall will likely disappear more quickly.

Temperatures are expected to warm up again by Wednesday afternoon, with snow turning into rain.

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Parts of Metro Vancouver saw a dusting of snow late Sunday. Snowplows and salt trucks were seen preparing roads in Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby and the North Shore overnight. 

Some higher areas, including the British Properties in West Vancouver and Simon Fraser University's Burnaby campus, had snow sticking to the roads most of Sunday night.

An atmospheric weather system brought incessant heavy rain to much of the province in a 36-hour period over the weekend. The worst of the storm hit Friday.

Some low-lying areas of Metro Vancouver saw up to 80 millimetres of rain, while higher areas of Grouse Mountain on the North Shore reported more than 200 millimetres.

Parts of the Fraser Valley saw more than 130 millimetres, while portions of the island saw between 70 and 130 millimetres.