B.C.’s South Coast slammed with third winter storm in less than a week

A provincial warning to stay off the roads until at least Saturday remains in place as another wicked winter storm is expected to hit several regions of the province including the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.

It is not safe to be out and about thanks to a thick layer of ice that’s been in place all week which is covered by fresh snow, ice pellets, and freezing rain on top of that.

Things are bad everywhere, including the Fraser Valley.

Even the police get stuck in the snow. Thanks to our local farmers for assisting one of our patrol officers this morning in getting unstuck out in the Sumas Prairie. #StrengthInCommunity pic.twitter.com/u77sqimuZh

— Abbotsford Police Department (@AbbyPoliceDept) December 22, 2022

Abbotsford Police Department Const. Scott McClure commutes from Chilliwack to Abbotsford for work and admits this makes him nervous. He says wind drifts are “wild” when you’re on Highway 1 when at times you can’t see anything, even if it’s not snowing.

He says you should have enough emergency supplies in your car for everyone you’re travelling with and prepare as though we’ve just had an earthquake because it could take a while for first responders or a tow truck to get to you. Also, a concern is if you do go off the road and your car doesn’t start, you won’t have a heat source until help arrives.

“We expect to be incredibly busy and we’re going to do everything we can to keep people safe and to get people out of situations that they didn’t expect to find themselves in but, expect the unexpected,” he told CityNews. “We need to take that next level of preparedness if you’re going to be on the roads. Regardless of the condition of your vehicle or how good of a driver you think you are, there’s a chance that the weather is going to be too much and you’re going to be looking for a rescue. Do not drive. It is not worth it.”

An emergency kit includes things like flashlights, blankets, food, and water.

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He says if the posted speed limit says 100km/h, for example, given the conditions people should think about doing less than half of that.

“It only takes one poor spot of compact snow or ice, and your vehicle is not going to be able to stay on the highway. You’re going to start to lose control and either you’ll hit another car or you’re going to go right off into a snowbank or a ditch. The conditions are quite treacherous, and they’re only expected to get worse,” he explained.

Fire departments, police, and paramedics from different detachments throughout the Fraser Valley are supporting each other to get through this storm, he says, but admits that resources are also incredibly strained for tow truck drivers.

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“There are times you are driving down Highway 1 that you’ll see vehicles with their hazard lights on in the ditch on both sides of the road and the tow trucks are aware those are there, but they’re just in the queue. Depending on where you are in the Valley, like if you’re on Highway 1, tow trucks aren’t going to come out in the middle of the day when traffic is at its worst. It’s not safe for them. It’s not safe for anybody.”

He’s likening people having to abandon their cars to the images we saw during the 2021 historic floods in the area, when cars were left roadside.

McClure is urging people to potentially postpone their Christmas dinners until the roads are safer, acknowledging it’s less than ideal, but he wants you to consider putting safety first, saying “it’s not worth it.”

With potential crashes avoidable if people stay off the roads for unnecessary travel, McClure says it could also help ease the burden on frontline healthcare workers who are already dealing with the so-called ‘tripledemic’ that has led to hours-long hospital wait times.

TransLink urges people to avoid travel

Like TransLink has been saying for much of the week, do not use its services unless you absolutely have to.

If you are going to attempt to take the bus or SkyTrain, TransLink is warning of considerable wait times and asking commuters to build in extra travel time to get where you’re going.

TransLink says extra staff worked through the night and will remain on today to keep transit moving.

“De-icing SkyTrains will run throughout the night spraying de-icer fluid on the rails to prevent ice and snow buildup. TransLink is in constant communication with each regional municipality to advise which roads and routes should be prioritized for plowing and clearing.”

⚠️#GeorgeMasseyTunnel The counterflow will not be in effect for either direction today due to the conditions brought on by the current #BCStorm. #BCHwy99 #DeltaBC #RichmondBC

ℹ️For more info:https://t.co/5GCHOHjk1I pic.twitter.com/fwNQYNFohU

— DriveBC (@DriveBC) December 23, 2022

BC Ferries cancellations

In preparation for the storm, BC Ferries pre-cancelled a number of sailings on Thursday evening.

The company says customer service will reach out to passengers who had bookings on cancelled sailings to either let them know they have space available to fit them on another vessel later in the day or if their booking is completely cancelled.

“Customers who made a reservation through our website and want to change or cancel their booking in advance of the storm, can access their booking from the link in the booking confirmation email.”

It says customer service agents are taking calls between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Friday and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday.

“We have been experiencing large call volumes causing extended waits for customers trying to reach us by phone. If your travel is not within the next 48 hours, please consider calling us back at a later date.”

Listen live to CityNews 1130 every 10 minutes on the ones to keep up to date with Friday’s storm and any major traffic and weather information. You can also follow us on Twitter @CityNewsTraffic or subscribe to breaking news alerts sent directly to your inbox.

–With files from James Paracy, Charlie Carey, Liza Yuzda and Hana Mae Nassar