B.C. snow updates: Snow snarls traffic on Highway 1 | Another wintry blast hits B.C. South Coast | West Van and North Van schools closed
Check back here for live updates on snow conditions along B.C.'s South Coast all week.

The snow’s not quite done with Metro Vancouver just yet.
Another round of snowfall hit parts of the region Tuesday, and a slew of weather warnings for snow and arctic outflow winds have been issued for the B.C. South Coast.
On Tuesday, North Vancouver and West Vancouver school districts have announced closures. Many others are staying open.
Read on for the latest B.C. snow updates. Check back often as we’ll be updating this page throughout the day.
Tuesday, Feb. 4
Temperatures dip in B.C. interior, north
Parts of Metro Vancouver received up to 10 centimetres of snow overnight, while Nanaimo received 23 centimetres, according to Environment Canada.
Temperatures were below -30 Celsius in much of the Interior and the north, where extreme cold and arctic outflow warnings are in place, with temperatures dipping to -39 in Dawson Creek Tuesday morning.
Environment Canada has also issued snowfall warnings for the Sunshine Coast, the Southern Gulf Islands and East Vancouver Island, as an arctic air mass moves over the North and Central coasts.
BC Highway Patrol is meanwhile asking commuters to reconsider driving, with multiple collisions on Highway 1 near the Port Mann Bridge “causing major delays” on the major Metro Vancouver link
Regional public transportation operator TransLink is suggesting people build extra time into their commute due to road conditions.
-The Canadian Press

Snow snarls traffic on Highway 1
Several collisions on Highway 1 near the Port Mann Bridge have snarled traffic on Tuesday morning, prompting highway police to advise drivers to stay home until the roads are clear.
The crashes have occurred in both eastbound and westbound lanes, said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin of the B.C. highway patrol.
“If you’re a confident driver who is prepared for the snow, you need to slow down more than usual,” he said in a statement. “If you’re not a confident driver, or your car isn’t winter ready, stay off the roads entirely. This isn’t your day.”
A fresh dump of snow that fell on the Lower Mainland overnight caused hazardous conditions for drivers and pedestrians across the region.

On Highway 1 in North Vancouver, several vehicles have spun out on the slippery roadway. An incident on the eastbound lanes between the Lynn Valley Road and Mountain Highway exits have blocked two right lanes, said DriveBC.
The snow is also causing delays on the Port Mann and Alex Fraser Bridges.
Drivers who are heading out on the road should make sure their vehicle has good snow tires and is free from snow on windows, the roof, the hood and trunk, said police.
Transit riders should also pack their patience as they head out Tuesday morning.
TransLink said buses in Vancouver, North Vancouver and Burnaby are experiencing delays. Service on the Millennium Lane has also been slow due to the snow.
TransLink said there may be crowded conditions on some routes and SkyTrain platforms and recommended people only travel if essential. For more updates, visit translink.ca/alerts.
Another wintry blast hits B.C. South Coast
Snow returned to the B.C. South Coast Tuesday as a low pressure system west of Vancouver Island brought flurries, sometimes, heavy, to the region.
A snow fall warning is in effect for eastern Vancouver Island including Courtenay and Campbell River, which is expected to get 10 to 20 centimetres. Some areas, like Nanaimo and Duncan, could get heavy snow from snow squalls. The snow is expected to last until Tuesday afternoon before tapering off to flurries.
Some areas in Vancouver Island have already received a dump of up to 13 centimetres overnight into Tuesday morning, according to preliminary data from Environment Canada.
At Victoria International Airport, which received 10 cm, some flights have been delayed and one — a WestJet flight to Vancouver — has been cancelled.
About 11 cm of snow fell on the Malahat, 13 cm in North Courtenay, and about seven cm in Comox.
The Sunshine Coast is also under a snowfall warning, with a total of 20 to 30 cm of snow forecast. About 19 cm have already fallen in Sechelt by Tuesday morning.
In Metro Vancouver, about three cm of snow fell at Vancouver International Airport overnight. The same amount was recorded in West Vancouver.
Environment Canada said Monday that snowfall accumulations were expected to be unpredictable and localized, depending on where bands of heavy snow occur.
Vancouver is expected to receive about two to four cm of snow this morning as temperatures plummet to -10 C with the wind chill. Flurries could continue Tuesday night into Wednesday.
Eastern Fraser Valley, Sea-to-Sky brace for cold snap
The winter conditions that hit the B.C. South Coast could get more extreme in Hope and Sea-to-Sky region, where temperatures have plummeted due to an arctic air mass.
Arctic outflow warnings have been issued for the eastern Fraser Valley, Whistler Valley, and Howe Sound for Tuesday and Wednesday after a frigid air mass over central B.C. swept in, bringing strong outflow winds.
The winds could reach up to 40 km/h in Whistler, where a daytime high of -10 C will feel as low as -20 C with the wind chill, said Environment Canada.
Gusts reaching 100 km/h are expected in Howe Sound, with -20 c wind chills expected in the windiest areas near the mouth, such as Bowen Island.
Winds are expected to ease on Wednesday.
UBC, SFU cancels in-person classes while other schools remain open
West Vancouver and North Vancouver school districts have announced they will be closed on Tuesday due to snowy conditions.
Classes at the University of B.C.’s Point Grey campus were also cancelled, as were classes at Simon Fraser University’s campuses.
Other school districts such as Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows opted to return to class, although its school bus service was cancelled due to a driver shortage. The Mission school district said it will reopen on Tuesday after a one-day closure on Monday.
For the latest updates on which schools are open or closed on Tuesday, Feb. 4, check out our full online listing here.
Monday, Feb. 3
Ministry of Transportation warns of icy roads
Drivers are being warned that temperature fluctuations around the freezing level will lead to icy road conditions across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley over the next week.
“Wet roads can be fine during warmer daytime temperatures, but as temperatures drop below freezing, they can become icy. As well, the warm engines of vehicles stopped at intersections or in queues can melt ice or snow, which subsequently refreezes,” the agency reported.
For up-to-date information about road conditions, travellers should continue to monitor the forecast and visit drivebc.ca
Metro Vancouver to brace for colder temperatures after snow fall
B.C.’s South Coast should get ready for more frigid weather after the season’s first snow fall.
Intermittent snow and localized flurries fell on most parts of Metro Vancouver on Monday, while the eastern Fraser Valley, including Langley, Abbotsford and Mission, experienced more steady snow fall and blowing wind.
Flurries are expected to linger over the region until Tuesday, but they are unpredictable and localized, meaning some areas could get a couple centimetres more snow while others don’t see any new flakes, said Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau.
After the snow event, temperatures are expected to drop across the region with overnight temperatures to dip as low as -6.
Tuesday and Wednesday are the coldest days, with daytime highs of zero and overnight lows hovering around -5 and -6.
However, it’ll feel colder in the eastern Fraser Valley due to an arctic air mass and strong winds, said Charbonneau.
Metro Vancouver isn’t expected to bear the brunt of the frigid air mass, she said, but areas exposed to easterly winds such as Langley and White Rock or areas near Howe Sound such as Horseshoe Bay could be affected.
“Even with temperatures that are at about freezing, if you’re exposed to those strong winds, it’s going to feel quite cold,” said Charbonneau.?“Not only is it going to be actually colder, but it’ll also feel colder.”
The cold air is expected to linger for the rest of the week, although temperatures will start inching up?Thursday, with a daytime high of 1 C, and reach about 4 C by the weekend.
In Hope, an arctic outflow warning was already in effect Monday due to a wind chill of -20 C.
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