More snow expected mid-week for Metro Vancouver as drivers brace for another slow commute
Posted January 4, 2022 11:55 am.
Last Updated January 4, 2022 3:41 pm.
Snow in some parts of Metro Vancouver has already started to fall heavily Tuesday afternoon with near whiteout conditions, however, it isn’t even the big snowfall of the week.
The snowy conditions won’t be breaking quite yet here in the Metro Vancouver, but another 10 to 20 cm of snow is expected to hit the region Wednesday evening into midday Thursday, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
The recent winter blast has kept road crews very busy, and many routes still remain unplowed.
NEW: Environment Canada issues Storm Watch for parts of Metro Vancouver, including West Vancouver, North Vancouver, northeast including Coquitlam, Maple Ridge, southeast including Surrey & Langley, southwest including Richmond & Delta.
10-20 cm of snow Wed night & Thursday.
— Martin MacMahon (@martinmacmahon) January 4, 2022
Darren Ell with Mainroad Contracting, which services the highways in the Metro Vancouver, says although his crews have been working non-stop since before Christmas, they know more is still ahead.
Ell says Wednesday’s snowfall is also coming as many return to work after the holidays.
“We are going to have more traffic on the roads in rush hour and that sort of thing. So it’s going to hinder some of the snow-fighting and plowing capabilities,” he said.
Tuesday morning was a bit of a slippery drive with a freezing rain/snow mixture. Drivers should expect similar conditions mid-week.
❄️ WINTER IS HERE ❄️
With winter weather in the forecast, crews and maintenance contractors are aware and preparing for any snowfall, including on the #PortMannBridge and #AlexFraserBridge.
Please drive to conditions and check https://t.co/MNovn62hmK. #ShiftIntoWinter pic.twitter.com/nUfU7u3ssP
— DriveBC (@DriveBC) January 4, 2022
A winter storm watch is effect for the North Shore including West Vancouver and North Vancouver, northeast including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge, southeast including Surrey and Langley, and southwest including Richmond and Delta according to Environment Canada.
There is also a risk of freezing rain in the Fraser Valley Thursday morning.
“Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Travel is expected to be hazardous due to reduced visibility in some locations. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery. There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas,” a statement from Environment Canada reads.
For traffic updates, tune in to CityNews for the latest reports 10 minutes on the ones.
– With files from Nikitha Martins