Vancouver –
Metro Vancouver could be hit by winter weather early in the week, with up to 10 centimeters of snow possible in some areas.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Monday morning saying the area could see snowfall starting late afternoon and continuing through Tuesday morning.
“A cold and unstable amount of air over the coast could bring some winter conditions to the Lower Mainland,” Environment Canada said.
“The forecast for tonight is showers with about 300 meters of snowfall. As a result, higher elevations and the Fraser Valley could see more snow accumulation between tonight and Tuesday morning.”
The warning applies to Vancouver, Burnaby, New Westminster, North Shore, Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, Surrey, Langley, Richmond and Delta.
Environment Canada’s forecast says it will accumulate between 2 and 10 centimeters.
‘WORST LINE’
Some highways linking the Lower Mainland to BC’s Interior could see more intense snowfall, Environment Canada warned in a separate weather statement for Coquihalla Freeway and Highway 3.
“A center of low pressure will develop over the Southern BC hinterland. Combined with the unstable air in place, it is likely that dense bands of snow develop in the areas listed above,” warning said.
“Snowfall is expected to be mainly between 5cm and 10cm, although snowfall will vary from region to region.”
With the Coquihalla train still closed due to damage from hurricanes in November, motorists on Highway 3 for essential travel were warned to keep others informed of the schedule and destination of the train. them, and also carry an emergency kit and a phone, as the weather in the mountains can change dramatically.
Over the weekend, that freeway was closed several times due to a number of vehicle incidents and what DriveBC said were “extremely poor driving conditions”.
On Saturday, the CEO of the Canadian Women’s Trucking Federation told CTV News that out-of-town truckers with no off-road training had an issue with Highway 3.
“It’s very winding and windy, levels, it’s a lot harder than traveling on Coquihalla,” Shelley Walker said, adding that Freeway 3 also lacks parking, if necessary, during a blizzard.
SWEET MORE AHEAD?
Over the weekend, Vancouver could see more booms. On Wednesday, the city is expected to see some rain, although snow could return overnight. On Thursday, precipitation is predicted for a combination of sun and clouds.
But entering the weekend, opportunities flare up again. Beginning Friday night and continuing into Saturday and Sunday, Environment Canada forecasts predict periods of rain or snow.
