As a winter storm knocks out power for tens of thousands of Vancouver Island residents, Environment Canada is warning that more messy weather lies ahead.
More than 15 centimetres of snow had already covered the island by Thursday afternoon, said warning preparedness meteorologist Armel Castellan. Upwards of 30 cm fell inland in areas like Cobbe Hill, Malahat and Comox.
“We’re transitioning to rain but we are going to see temperatures dip Friday night into Saturday morning, so it’s not over,” he told Global News. “Freezing rain is a part of the mix.”
At the peak of the winter storm on Thursday, BC Hydro reported 23,400 customers on Vancouver Island experienced a blackout. The hardest-hit areas were Victoria, Courtenay, Ucluelet, Duncan and the Gulf Islands.
“We are expecting more snow and freezing rain today and tomorrow, and while we have all hands on deck to respond as quickly as possible, these conditions can be challenging for crews,” wrote spokesperson Susie Rieder.
“In some areas, heavy snow and ice can create access issues making repairs even more challenging.”
Several flights to and from Victoria were cancelled or delayed on Thursday, and the Victoria International Airport urged travellers to give themselves extra time to get to the airport due to hazardous conditions on the roads.
The current weather conditions are to be expected in a La Niña year, said Castellan.
La Niña is the colder counterpart to the complex El Niño weather pattern that brings warmer temperatures to the region. The pattern shifts irregularly between them every two-to-seven years, according to the B.C. government’s winter outlook for 2020-2021.
“When we kind of flipped the script and changed the pattern late in November and into December, when we were done with big atmospheric rivers, we went from that kind of a pattern — southwesterly flow to a northwesterly flow — which is a bit more what we expect in a La Nina year,” he explained.
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“That stacks the deck for an above-average, snowier, colder winter.”
Rain overnight on Thursday will not likely be enough to melt all the snow on Vancouver Island, Castellan added, urging residents to prepare for the possibility of power outages and treacherous driving conditions.
Canada Post, meanwhile, suspended delivery to Vancouver Island temporarily, until conditions become safe. It encouraged its customers to clear ice from walkways, stairs and driveways in preparation for service to resume.
After receiving up to 30 cm of snowfall, the City of Nanaimo has also and closed its recreation facilities on Thursday. Garbage and recycling collection was also cancelled.
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