Arctic blast barrelling toward the Lower Mainland

If you want to get a taste of what the Lower Mainland will be dealing with through the latter half of this week, look to the province’s interior as winter weather settles over much of B.C.

The first real arctic blast of the season is taking aim at B.C.’s South Coast, bringing sub-zero temperatures and bitter windchills, especially for the Fraser Valley. 

CityNews meteorologist Michael Kuss predicts the arctic air will push over Metro Vancouver and the Valley through Thursday, bringing overnight lows to -10°C into the weekend, with daytime highs remaining below freezing.

“We are looking at the cold air funnelling down through the valleys and working all the way out to the coast and beyond. We are expecting temperatures Thursday afternoon to be dipping to -2° or -3° by 4 p.m., but it will feel like -10° all the way out to the water,” said Kuss.

“In the Fraser Valley, we are talking about -10° or minus -12° by late day [Thursday], but feeling like -20° and that pattern will last through Friday into Saturday.

“Closer to the coast, daytime highs might not get above -4° or -5° for Friday and Saturday with a bit of moderation on Sunday.”

While there may not be much snow in the forecast for the Lower Mainland, it has been a different story for the mountain passes and highways into the Interior.

Early Wednesday morning, the Coquihalla Highway 5 between Hope and Merritt remained covered in snow after a significant snowfall overnight brought up to 20 centimetres along much of the route.

A winter storm warning continues with an additional 10 to 15 cm expected on Highway 5 Wednesday night, reducing visibility because of heavy and blowing snow as the arctic front mixes with a low-pressure system over B.C.’s southern Interior.

As temperatures drop, Vancouver Fire Rescue Services is sending a warning as more people turn up their heaters to stay warm.

The Canadian Red Cross says portable space heaters are the leading cause of home fires throughout winter months.

To stay safe during this winter blast, firefighters say anything that can burn should be kept at least one metre away from heating equipment, such as furnaces, fireplaces, wood stoves, or portable heaters. That one-metre zone should also be “kid-free,” they add, to keep children safe.

Vancouver Fire also advises to never use your oven to heat your home and to have stationary heaters professionally installed and regularly cleaned. 

Heaters should never be left unattended, you must ensure proper fuels are used, when applicable, and make sure fireplaces have sturdy screens placed around them to protect against sparks.