A winter storm has already walloped parts of Oregon and Washington State and B.C. is next.
A complex weather system is pushing onshore bringing a range of precipitation from snow, to freezing rain, and eventually changing to rain along the coast.
“It looks ugly,” said David Jones from Environment Canada. “There’s a variety of precipitation-types, so we’re going to start with some snow, we expect that to change over to freezing rain, and into rain eventually on the south coast here and plenty of it.”
Global BC’s Kate Gajdosik said in Metro Vancouver snow is expected to start falling at about 1 a.m. Monday morning with accumulations between 2 and 5 centimetres. That temperature pattern will change in the early hours and the snow will turn to freezing rain.
Between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m freezing rain is a possibility for eastern regions of Metro Vancouver, straight through to the Fraser Valley into Chilliwack.
This will mean anyone heading out on the roads in the morning should be extremely careful and leave extra time to get to their destination.
Gajdosik said freezing rain occurs when warm air is forced to ride up and over the top of colder air near the surface. So, as the precipitation falls through the layer of warm air in the upper atmosphere it falls as rain, but as it reaches the shallow layer of very cold air it instantly freezes and forms a coating or a glaze to anything it falls on. That means roadways can become skating rinks, tree limbs can get heavy, and power lines can be weighted down. Freezing rain is a very dangerous weather scenario and precautions need to be taken to avoid accidents.
Vancouver’s International Airport tweeted that they are ready for the snow but if you are flying Monday morning, check the status of your flight before leaving for the airport.
Vancouver’s salt and brine trucks are already out coating the roads. Officials are asking homeowners to do their part by clearing catch basins.
“If you’ve got them outside your house or business, clear them off,” said Murray Wightman from the city of Vancouver. “The slush just stops the water from getting through the grate and then you get that pooling at the intersections, which certainly can cause problems for pedestrians and for cars.”
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The snow will be a welcome sight on Mount Seymour. After a late start to the season, officials are expecting up to 80 cm of fresh powder this week.
“We have about half our ski runs open right now,” said Eddie Wood from Mount Seymour. “And with another 50 to 80 centimetres of snow, that will allow us to open up just about all of the rest of the runs.”
WATCH: B.C. evening forecast – Feb. 9:
Snowfall warnings in effect for inland sections of North and Central Coast:
20 to 30 centimetres of snow is expected to fall in these regions starting tonight and through Monday.
The Arctic ridge over the interior continues to push cold air through coastal valleys and inlets of the north and central coasts. The cold air combined with strong outflow winds will at times give wind chill values as low as -25 tonight.
Snowfall expected in Howe Sound and the Sea to Sky area:
Environment Canada is predicting snow from the Pacific weather system will start overnight tonight over the Sea to Sky Highway and Monday morning over the southern interior highway passes. Total snowfall amounts from the system are forecast to be in a 20 to 30 cm range by Tuesday afternoon, with highest amounts over the Coquihalla Highway – Hope to Merritt and Sea to Sky – Squamish to Whistler. Snow will develop near Tuesday midnight inland on the central and north coasts. Total snowfall amounts may reach 10 to 20 centimetres near Terrace.
Residents in the West Kootenays, Kootenay Lake, Boundary, Nicola, and Similkameen regions will also see similar conditions and snowfall.
Prince George, Cariboo, Yellowhead, North Columbia, West Columbia, North Thompson, Shuswap, Arrow Lakes-Slocan Lake:
The storm will bring snow to the Central Interior and the Columbia region on Monday with snowfall amounts ranging from 10 to 15 centimetres through Monday night and up to 20 centimetres over the Columbia regions.
Another storm system is expected to move in on Tuesday, which will affect the entire interior. This storm system will bring warm Pacific air and wet heavy snow will accumulate in some parts of the southern interior.
Looking ahead to Tuesday / Wednesday:
By late Monday morning Environment Canada says the precipitation will change to rain over most areas as the warm Pacific air moves into the South Coast.
However, some regions will see even more snow.
Another weather system will approach the coast late Tuesday bringing more snow to the Coquihalla Highway – Hope to Merritt, and Sea to Sky Highway – Squamish to Whistler, Tuesday night and Wednesday.
Snow over the Sea to Sky Highway will change to rain at some point on Wednesday. Snow over the interior passes will continue with total snow amounts up to 30 cm expected across the southern interior passes from the second system. A further 10 to 20 centimetres is possible inland on Highway 16.
Stay tuned to Global’s SkyTracker, Environment Canada and Drive BC for the latest updates on the weather and the road conditions.
– With files from Environment Canada and Kate Gajdosik.
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