Freezing rain and rapidly-changing weather made for some dangerous conditions in the Prince George, B.C., region Tuesday morning.
Schools were telling staff and students to stay home until it was safe, while ice covered the roads, making driving dangerous, and classes were cancelled at post-secondary institutions until conditions improved.
The freezing rain fell between 5 and 6 a.m. Tuesday but the weather remained cold until around lunchtime.
“A band of precipitation moved through Prince George and its vicinity early this morning,” Global BC meteorologist Mark Madryga said.
“Some light snow fell on the area, but there was also widespread freezing rain that created slick roads and sidewalks, which was extremely hazardous for those on the morning commute to work or school.”
BC Transit was unable to run any buses until about 11 a.m.
A travel advisory was also issued for Highway 97 in the Prince George Region and Drive BC said travel was not recommended.
“While sub-zero temperatures were present at ground level, readings above freezing were measured above the city,” Madryga added.
“As a result, some rain fell and then froze on impact at ground level. This precipitation has now moved well to the east of Prince George with dry weather and some sunshine taking over for the balance of the day.”