A warmer-than-average Christmas for Metro Vancouver

It looks like you’ll have to get out of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley if you want to enjoy a white Christmas.

CityNews Meteorologist Carl Lam says there’s a “big push of warm air” that’s settling over the Lower Mainland.

That, he explains, will translate into above-average temperatures for this time of year.

“In the upper single digits, even into the low double digits as we look ahead to the next five to seven days,” he explained Monday.

Lam says the coming week will be “very mild,” noting the average daytime highs for this time of year should be around 6° C while the average overnight low should be closer to 1° C.

“Our overnight lows are nowhere close to that because they’re more in-line with the mid single digits,” he said.

Then vs. now

The current weather is a far cry from conditions Metro Vancouver saw the same time last year.

Lam points out, exactly one year ago, the region was being walloped by snow.

“It was a brutal day all across Metro Vancouver and it was just impossible for travel. Things today couldn’t be more different,” Lam said.

The storm in the days leading up to Christmas 2022 forced flights to be grounded and brought travel to a halt.

In April, Vancouver International Airport (YVR) unveiled a $40-million action plan aimed at avoiding a similar situation. The money was earmarked to add more staff, buy better equipment, and improve training and communication.

Earlier this month, YVR released a more detailed winter readiness plan to address concerns and challenges.

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