Special Weather Statement Issued for Low-Elevation Snowfall Across BC South Coast and Vancouver Island

Alert Details

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement regarding low-elevation snowfall for the South Coast and North Vancouver Island. The alert is currently in effect as a cold, unstable air mass moves through the region.

Affected Areas

The alert covers a broad geographic area including:

• North Vancouver Island
• South Coast mainland sections
• North Shore on the Mainland
• Sea to Sky Highway (North of Squamish including Whistler)
• Vancouver Island (Inland sections and the Malahat Highway)

Expected Conditions

Accumulations are expected to be highly variable over short distances:

• Sea Level: Trace to 4 cm of snow.
• Higher Terrain and Inland Sections: 5 cm or more, specifically affecting the Malahat Highway and the North Shore.
• Sea to Sky Highway and Whistler: 5 to 15 cm of snow expected by this evening.

Heavy flurries may cause sudden reductions in visibility. Precipitation north of Squamish is likely to remain as snow through tonight, generating higher total snowfall accumulations.

Timeline

• Tuesday Morning: Widespread risk of snowfall impacting the morning commute.
• Tuesday Afternoon: Risk of wet flurries and additional accumulations continues for inland Vancouver Island and higher elevation roads.
• Wednesday Morning: Local risk of flurries returns, likely confined to higher terrain.

What You Should Do

Residents and commuters in the affected areas are advised to:

• Prepare for challenging driving conditions and allow extra travel time.
• Be ready for sudden changes in visibility during heavy flurries.
• Continue to monitor updates and forecasts issued by Environment Canada.

To report severe weather, you can email [email protected] or post reports on X using the hashtag #BCStorm.