Snow day: Dozens of accidents as overnight snowfall snarls commute

CTV BC: Snow dump causes chaotic road conditions Winter road conditions from the first snowstorm caused dozens of accidents across Metro Vancouver and B.C.'s Fraser Valley on Friday.

Dozens of accidents were reported across Metro Vancouver Friday morning after an overnight snowfall dusted the region and caused commuter headaches.

Between five to 15 centimetres were expected to fall before the white stuff turns to freezing drizzle and rain later in the day.

A crash involving five vehicles, including a one-tonne truck, snarled traffic on Highway 99 southbound near 32nd Ave.

Problems weren't limited to the road. Helijet cancelled all of its flights between Vancouver and the Island because of the snowy weather. Flights were expected to resume Saturday morning.

The winter storm prompted many private and independent schools to close, and Simon Fraser University delayed opening its Burnaby campus until 10 a.m. because of slick roads heading up Burnaby Mountain.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said 40 city trucks were out ploughing and salting major routes, but encouraged people to shovel their driveways to keep sidewalks clear.

Environment Canada has posted snowfall warnings for inland sections of B.C., including the Central Coast spanning to the Alberta border. Chilcotin, 100 Mile, the Bulkley Valley, Prince George and McGregor districts are also affected.

Drive BC said all major and numbered highways in the province had heavy slow traffic patterns because of the snow accumulation.

Both SkyTrain and Canada Line experienced delays because of higher volume as commuters opted to leave their cars at home.