Low-elevation B.C. communities could see slick roads from wintry weather
Cold air and moisture will bring some early-season snow to some low-elevation communities on Vancouver Island and Metro Vancouver on Saturday
A brief push of cool air heading toward British Columbia’s coast will bring the risk for some low-elevation snow across portions of the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island this weekend.
Offshore flow and a slug of Pacific moisture heading toward the coast could bring freezing levels low enough for snow to fall across portions of Metro Vancouver. The risk for wintry precipitation could make for slick roads on Saturday.
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It’s nothing like we saw a few years ago, but any risk for snow around Vancouver is one that’ll grab everyone’s attention.
The metro area is usually protected from snow by milder winds blowing ashore, which keep freezing levels high enough for the area to escape wintry weather.
On Saturday, though, northerly winds will pull cold air from inland toward the coast, bringing the potential for wet snow into the Metro Vancouver area.
Precipitation across the South Coast started spreading from north to south through the morning hours on Saturday, coinciding with a drop in freezing levels across the region.
We’ll see the freezing level briefly drop to around 400 m during the day Saturday.
Surface temperatures don’t have to reach the freezing mark for snow to fall, though, and we’re likely going to see snow flying across higher elevations in the Metro Vancouver area by the middle of Saturday afternoon as the melting snowflakes temporarily drop the snow line close to sea level.
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Usual areas that sit at a slightly higher elevation, such as Simon Fraser University, North Vancouver, and West Vancouver, all may stand a chance to see accumulating snow from this event on Saturday.
Areas closest to the coast, such as Tsawwassen, White Rock, and Delta, will stay warm enough for precipitation to remain liquid rain.
Temperatures will hover around the freezing mark throughout the day Saturday, and readings will fall through the afternoon and evening hours. Folks across the region should pay close attention to road conditions, as the drop in temperatures and risk for wintry precipitation will likely lead to slick sports.
Snow is also likely to fall across lower elevations on Vancouver Island, as seen along Highway 4 Saturday morning near Port Alberni. Some areas along inland sections of Highway 19 could see a few centimetres of snow through Saturday, as well.
Check back for all the latest on conditions across British Columbia.
Thumbnail courtesy of BC Hydro/X.
