Parts of B.C.’s Lower Mainland to be hit with more snow, arctic blasts

Commuters are advised to prepare for delays as further snowfall and icy conditions remain for much of the Lower Mainland.

The snowfall isn’t over yet for certain parts of the province, with the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands expected to be hit with further flurries Tuesday.

According to Environment Canada, a snowfall warning is in place for the eastern region of Vancouver Island, with up to 20 centimetres expected between Courtenay and Campbell River, and a further five centimetres between the regions of Nanoose Bay and Fanny Bay, and Duncan and Nanaimo.

On the Sunshine Coast, up to 30 centimetres of fresh snowfall can be expected between Saltery Bay and Powell River, and Gibsons and Earls Cove.

Local heavy snow will ease to lighter flurries as the afternoon sets in, said the weather agency.

Throughout the Lower Mainland, commuters are advised to check their routes prior to setting off and to build extra travel time into their morning journeys, as some transit may be facing delays as a result of the icy road conditions.

SkyTrain services are operating as normal, however those using the Millennium Line should expect their journeys to be slower than normal.

“SkyTrain attendants are positioned at the front of Millennium Line trains to prevent emergency braking caused by snow and freezing temperatures, resulting in lower-than-usual frequencies,” TransLink said Tuesday morning.

For the moment, no bus routes have been cancelled, although services will likely face delays as they navigate the conditions. Modifications to services may take place as the weather changes, said TransLink.

The lingering snow is being brought on by an unstable airmass combined with arctic outflow winds gusting over the Strait of Georgia, said Environment Canada. The conditions will also bring an arctic blast of air through other regions within the Lower Mainland, including Whistler, the Fraser Valley, much of B.C’s north coast and central coast, and the Howe Sound, including Bowen Island.

The regions affected by the arctic outflow could see temperatures plummet to - 20 C, with the coldest chills expected throughout the night and into the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Along the coast, the icy blast will be paired with strong northeasterly winds, reaching up to 120 km/h in some regions.

The gusts will reduce by Wednesday morning, said the weather agency.