Schools closed, travel slowed as snow blankets southwest B.C.
CBC
Overnight snow has blanketed southwest British Columbia, resulting in school closures across the region and difficult travel conditions.
Up to 20 centimetres of snow is expected to accumulate in some places by Wednesday evening, thanks to a low-pressure system moving in from the Pacific Ocean, according to Environment Canada.
A snowfall warning is in place for all of Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Whistler, the Sunshine Coast and most of southern B.C.
All school districts in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley announced early Wednesday that schools would not open.
The Greater Victoria and Sooke school districts, however, said all its schools would open on Wednesday.
Classes were cancelled across the rest of southern Vancouver Island, and across the Sunshine Coast. Parents in other areas of the province are encouraged to check the website of their school or district for closures.
Most post-secondary institutions, including the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, also cancelled on-campus classes as snowfall accumulated in the second winter storm of 2024.
Environment Canada warned that visibility could be limited because of the heavy snow, making it difficult to navigate roads or even sidewalks.
The weather agency issued snowfall warnings in nearly 40 different regions across the province.
Around noon, B.C. Hydro reported more than 20,000 customers without power across the South Coast, mostly on Vancouver Island. Many were caused by heavy snow or trees falling on wires.
Canada Post suspended mail delivery for the day in Metro Vancouver due to conditions.
In Vancouver, an extreme weather alert issued by the city will remain in effect until Thursday, and additional shelter spaces and warming centres have been opened.
The City of Vancouver has encouraged only essential travel only on city roads, and advised drivers to use city traffic cameras to check road conditions.
Uber driver Inderraj Gill began work at 5 a.m. PT and had been from White Rock to the Vancouver International Airport. He said the roads were snowy, but other drivers were being cautious.
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