Travel conditions worsen in B.C. as snow starts to pile up

Arctic air spilling across British Columbia’s South Coast will allow for hefty accumulating snows to reach down to sea level through the beginning of the week.

Low-elevation snow is expected through Monday for the Lower Mainland and much of Vancouver Island. Folks throughout the Lower Mainland could see more than 20 cm of snow by the end of this event.

A flurry of winter weather warnings are in effect for the area. Make sure to stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions in your area before heading out this weekend.

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We saw bands of heavy snow begin to move across Metro Vancouver in the early-morning hours Sunday as the low-pressure system stationed itself in the Strait of Georgia.

"Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow," Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) says in the snowfall warning for Metro Vancouver.

Converging winds along the North Shore and regions south of the North Shore mMuntains will increase snowfall rates. Some areas here may see up to 20 cm of accumulation during periods of heavy snowfall.

Temperatures will hover around the freezing mark across the area as breaks in the heavy snow arrive by Sunday evening—but we won’t be out of the woods just yet.

The low-pressure system will help press Arctic air toward the coast through the overnight hours Sunday into Monday. Bands of heavy snow will continue rotating across the South Coast through the overnight period.

Periods of snow will continue across the Lower Mainland into the first half of Monday before tapering off by the afternoon hours. However, snow will continue for folks on Vancouver Island. Significant additional snowfall accumulation is possible as the Arctic front reaches the outer coast and meets up with a weak trough, which will enhance snowfall rates.

Heading into Monday night and early Tuesday, we’ll see strait-effect snow continue for eastern Vancouver Island. Heavy snowfall is expected around Tofino and Ucluelet as winds converge over the area. We’ll see lingering snow for the Gulf Islands and southern Vancouver Island.

Temperatures will remain below the freezing mark starting Sunday and lasting into next week, including for Victoria, B.C. The last time Vancouver and Victoria had daytime highs of 0°C or lower was from Jan. 12-14, 2024, and in Dec. 2022 prior to that.

The pattern will be good news for the province's ski resorts. It will help replenish the ski hills with some fresh, new snow and finally bring winter to coastal sections, which have been missing it so far this season.

Thumbnail courtesy of DriveBC.

Stay with The Weather Network for all the latest on your forecast across British Columbia.

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