Snowfall warning issued for parts of Metro Vancouver, Sea-to-Sky region
Environment Canada forecasts a total of 10 to 15 centimetres of snow over higher elevations
A snowfall warning has been issued for parts of Metro Vancouver and for the Sea-to-Sky region from West Vancouver to Squamish.
Environment Canada forecasts a total of 10 to 15 centimetres of snow over higher elevations and five centimetres for Metro Vancouver.
In the Fraser Valley, as much as 20 centimetres of snow could fall before expected periods of freezing rain, potentially creating hazardous road conditions in the Tri-Cities, Surrey, Langley, Maple Ridge and Abbotsford.
Update:<br><br>Starting to see snow in Lower Mainland. Snowfall alert as much as 20 cm in 24 hrs Vancouver and region. Crews out overnight.
—@CityofVancouverCrews monitoring conditions
In a release, the province said that maintenance crews remain on site to monitor and clear provincial roads and bridges.
Lane closures are in effect on the Port Mann Bridge while rope access technicians reload snow collars to each of the bridge's 288 cables.
Maintenance crews are also applying de-icer to the crossbeams on the Alex Fraser Bridge, are making frequent patrols of the provincial highway system and have salt and brine stockpiles and snowplows ready to go as needed.
Beauty of a morning for a run in the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NorthVan?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NorthVan</a> trails. A couple more cm of snowfall gave just enough traction. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcstorm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/snowRun?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#snowRun</a> <a href="https://t.co/G0uHklOFWU">pic.twitter.com/G0uHklOFWU</a>
—@MarathonMetmanThe provincial release also urged commuters to drive carefully.
"The snowy holiday forecast is a reminder for everyone to use extra caution, drive to the current conditions and pay particular attention to lane closures and traffic control as crews work to keep bridges clear and highways safe for travel," said the release.
Cindy Yu, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said during the course of Wednesday Metro Vancouver could see "periods of snow" that will likely turn into wet snow or snow mixed with rain by the afternoon.
Big fluffy flakes now in Coquitlam!! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bcstorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bcstorm</a> <a href="https://t.co/hO6oZFN36V">pic.twitter.com/hO6oZFN36V</a>
—@AndreaBuono6"All the focus is on the weather system that's expected [Wednesday] night and into tomorrow. For Metro Vancouver, we're expecting a snowfall amount of two to four centimetres. The North Shore and the Fraser Valley could see five to 10 centimetres of snow into the overnight period," Yu said.
"We don't need a lot of snowfall to create problems. If we do get a rain-snow mix, or any kind of slushy snow, we could get black ice in Vancouver or freezing rain in the Fraser Valley."
Special weather statement for snowfall for SW <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BC</a> , and snow and freezing rain for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/fraservalley?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#fraservalley</a>. <a href="https://t.co/OLDgkB6kic">https://t.co/OLDgkB6kic</a>. Send us your weather reports using <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCStorm?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCStorm</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/abbotsford?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#abbotsford</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/powellriver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#powellriver</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/comox?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#comox</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/portalberni?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#portalberni</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vanisle?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vanisle</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/vancouver?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#vancouver</a>
—@ECCCWeatherBCWith files from Tina Lovgreen