VANCOUVER — The first widespread snowfall of winter has hit Metro Vancouver, with up to 20 centimetres expected and more on the way.
Environment Canada said in a snowfall warning that "intense flurries" could cause heavy accumulation and cut visibility on roads, and while snowfalls are expected to taper Sunday afternoon, another round is developing.
The agency says the next blast of heavy snow will hit Monday morning, part of a wintry mix of conditions across the entire south coast of British Columbia over the next several days.
Alyssa Charbonneau, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change, said a low-pressure system has settled over the west coast of Vancouver Island in B.C., bringing in bands of moisture across the province's south coast.
At the same time, another cold arctic air blast is making its way out towards the coast, Charbonneau added.
“When those two factors come together, we have temperatures that are cold and bands of moisture. Of course, that's the ingredients we need to make for snow,” said Charbonneau.
The heaviest snow was expected in higher elevations, but it piled up in low-lying areas including the City and Vancouver and Richmond.
Looking ahead into this week, Charbonneau said the province is going to see some isolated chances of flurries on Monday and residents need to dress warmly since cold temperatures will linger through the week, especially in Howe Sounds and Fraser Valley.
Environment Canada said temperatures will be five to eight degrees Celsius below seasonal in Metro Vancouver next week and strong outflow winds will lead to cold wind chills.
In the north of B.C., extreme cold warnings are in place for several regions, including the Peace River area where wind chills near minus 40 are forecast for Sunday.
Meanwhile, B.C. Ministry of Infrastructure is urging drivers in the Lower Mainland, Howe Sound, and south Vancouver Island to avoid travel unless their cars are well-prepared for winter weather.
The ministry said in a statement that traffic was delayed on Highway 1 through North Vancouver this morning due to drivers attempting to travel without winter tires or chains.
It said tow trucks have cleared the vehicles that were blocking the traffic and additional trucks remain on standby.
Charbonneau said some of the snowfall has melt but with temperatures dropping below freezing tonight, the roads could refreeze again and could lead to "really icy conditions."
Charbonneau is reminding people to clear their sidewalks and their walkways around their properties to make it safer to get around.
"Because we do expect that we will be seeing some temperatures below freezing for the next few days," Charbonneau said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2025.
The Canadian Press
