Better get used to the white landscape
With cold weather in the forecast, this week’s snow is expected to stick around for a while
1 More snow on the way
Monday’s daylong snowstorm was a prelude to the main event, a bigger dump that will start Thursday afternoon and continue well into Friday, with accumulations of 10 centimetres or more as a Pacific storm hits the cold air over Metro Vancouver.
So the Thursday afternoon commute will likely be bad.
Looking ahead, temperatures will remain near or below freezing until mid-month.
“Any snow that does fall is going to hang around for quite some time,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald. “We’re not going to get our good old West Coast rain shovel. ”The upside — a 40 to 50 per cent chance of a white Christmas.
2 Hazards
The cooler temperatures mean icy patches on sidewalks and streets won’t just melt on their own. Not the time to window-shop in high heels — forgo fashion for warm, safe boots.
Vancouver road crews list the trickiest stretches of roads, based on slope and the volume of traffic: Oak Street from Broadway to Fourth; Boundary south of 49th, and from Still Creek to Grandview Highway. Away from the streets, watch children around frozen ponds — surfaces won’t be thick enough to walk or skate on.
3 How to prepare
City and municipal crews are working to clear and salt sidewalks, streets and cycling routes.
Vancouver crews respond to requests about specific hazards made through calling 3-1-1.
Civic bylaws require homeowners to have sidewalks shovelled in front of their homes by 10 a.m. on snow days.
Provincial law stipulates that snow tires are mandatory for driving most highways outside the Lower Mainland and southern Vancouver Island, but they’re a good idea in the cities as well.
A recent survey by tire-maker Michelin found that 51 per cent of B.C. drivers don’t have snow tires, compared to 34 per cent nationwide.
Commuters should leave earlier, take transit if possible, and drive more slowly.
Steer into a slide if you do lose traction, and no sudden moves on the gas or the brakes.
4 Shelter from the storm
Through BC Housing, the provincial government funds close to 2,000 permanent, year-round shelter beds in the province. Most of them are open 24/7 and provide meals.
During the winter, additional temporary spaces are provided until the end of March.
Close to 1,000 extreme weather shelter spaces are available throughout B.C. Six of those temporary winter shelters are open in Vancouver, with a total of 195 beds.
Still, if last year’s numbers hold, more than 500 of Vancouver’s homeless will still be without roofs over their heads this winter.
5 Downhill all the way
The three North Shore ski mountains are gradually ramping up to full operation, having started opening in late November.
Most runs were open at Cypress Mountain this week, with hours expanding to include night skiing starting Wednesday night, a week ahead of schedule.
The resort’s Raven Ridge chairlift was to start operations this weekend, joining the already-running Easy Rider, Eagle and Lions chairs.
Cypress got 57 centimetres of snow on Monday night, said spokesman Joffrey Koeman.
Both Cypress and neighbouring Grouse Mountain are taking advantage of the cooler temperatures to run snow-making equipment as well.
Grouse expanded operations Tuesday by opening the Cut, Deliverance, Expo and Centennial runs.
Night skiing has been available since the resort opened Nov. 26.
On Mount Seymour, the Mystery chair and Goldie magic carpet were running, servicing 10 runs.
Hours were set to expand this Friday.