Snowfall and winter storm warnings are blanketing nearly all of British Columbia on Saturday.
From the Peace River region in the northeast, through the Cariboo and Okanagan, and down to the South Coast, Environment Canada projected that between 10 and 30 centimetres of snow would fall by Sunday morning.
“A significant weather system will push across the South Coast this weekend, bringing widespread snow to the region,” the national weather agency said Saturday.
“Periods of light snow will start this afternoon and intensify to heavy snow this evening.”
Environment Canada said that for most regions in B.C., the snow would ease early Sunday.
“For southern sections of Metro Vancouver, heavy snow is expected to transition to rain overnight, with total snowfall amounts near 10 to 20 cm,” it said.
Regions under a snowfall warning include:
- Peace River
- Boundary
- Bulkley Valley
- Central and South Cariboo
- Central Coast
- East Vancouver Island
- Fraser Valley
- Greater Victoria
- Howe Sound
- McGregor
- Metro Vancouver
- North Coast (coastal sections)
- Okanagan
- South Thompson
- Southern Gulf Islands
- Snowfall
- West Kootenay
- West Vancouver Island
- Whistler
- Williston
- Yellowhead Highway
Regions under a winter storm warning include:
- Arrow Lakes / Slocan Lake
- Highway 3 (Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass)
- North Cariboo
- Trans-Canada Highway (Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass)
- Coquihalla Highway (Hope to Merritt)
- North Coast (inland sections)
- North Columbia
- North Thompson
- Prince George
- Shuswap
- Stuart / Nechako
- West Columbia
“A frontal system over the Gulf of Alaska will bring snow at times heavy to the B.C. Interior,” Environment Canada said. “Heavy snow will continue before tapering off to periods of light snow on Sunday.”
For Southern Interior mountain passes, snowfall amounts could range between 25 and 40 cm for the Trans-Canada and Highway 3, and between 20 and 35 cm for the Coquihalla.
“Consider postponing non-essential travel until conditions improve,” Environment Canada advised. “Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow.”
For the latest highway conditions throughout the province, visit DriveBC.
On Friday, several B.C. communities set new daily temperature records, according to Environment Canada. They are listed below.
Bella Bella
- Preliminary new record of -13.2 C
- Old record of -9.2 C set in 2011
Clinton
- Preliminary new record of -28.9 C
- Old record of -28.0 C set in 1994
Hope
- Preliminary new record of -10.1 C
- Old record of -8.3 C set in 2011
Malahat
- Preliminary new record of -8.5 C
- Old record of -7.4 C set in 2011
Nakusp
- Preliminary new record of -15.6 C
- Old record of -15.1 C set in 1993
Osoyoos
- Preliminary new record of -10.2 C
- Old record of -9.9 C set in 1993
Puntzi Mountain
- Preliminary new record of -36.7 C
- Old record of -35.4 C set in 2011
Sechelt
- Preliminary new record of -5.1 C
- Old record of -4.0 C set in 2003
Squamish
- Preliminary new record of -8.7 C
- Old record of -7.7 C set in 2018
Trail
- Preliminary new record of -17.3 C
- Old record of -15.1 C set in 2011
Victoria
- Preliminary new record of -4.9 C
- Old record of -4.4 C set in 1917
West Vancouver
- Preliminary new record of -6.5 C
- Old record of -5.0 C set in 2011