MORE SNOW TO GIVE WAY TO HEAVY RAINFALL
B.C. Hydro and plow crews kept busy, while stores see run on sleds, shovels
Snow remained part of Victoria’s landscape on Tuesday, with the prediction of more to come.
“Snow will start falling Wednesday afternoon and become heavier into the evening. As the warm air establishes itself, there will be a good chance of freezing rain followed by significant rainfall overnight Wednesday and Thursday,” said Environment Canada in a winter storm warning for coastal B.C. posted late Tuesday afternoon.
Such warnings are issued when severe and potentially dangerous conditions are expected, the federal agency said.
For some, wintry conditions provided unique recreation opportunities, but it meant more work for others, including B.C. Hydro crews.
Victoria’s Brad Armstrong and his wife, Katharine Palmer, beat the winter blues by taking an old plastic river-and-surf kayak to the snow-covered trails and hills of Mount Douglas Park in Saanich.
Armstrong said a friend in California had teased him in the past about living in Canada and kayaking in the snow. He explained Victoria doesn’t get much snow but promised to try it if any arrived.
“It worked great, and I had a blast,” he said.
It wasn’t a blast for B.C. Hydro crews.
Ed Olynyk, spokesman for B.C. Hydro, said snow weighed down branches breaking them off and fouled power lines in a number of locations.
“This the kind of snow we don’t like, heavy and wet … the branches come down and land on our lines,” Olynyk said.
He said the Cobble Hill and Cowichan Valley areas were hit especially hard, with multiple outages affecting hundreds late Monday and early Tuesday. In one case, a crew reported for duty but a fallen tree made it too dangerous for work after dark. Repairs recommenced after daylight.
Snow meant hardware stores saw a run on snow shovels, road salt, sleds, heaters, bird seed and bird feeders.
Craig Sharp, manager of the Oak Bay Avenue Home Hardware, said those items fly off the shelves every snowfall. Hundreds of snow shovels were sold in the last two days, he said.
Snow meant there was money to made in other areas, too.
Jordan Stewart, part owner of Victoria Snowplow, said his company has been answering calls from all over Greater Victoria, including Sooke.
But Stewart said they keep on reporting back to Brentwood, in some cases as many as three times to the same properties over the last two days. His crews clear snow with shovels and with a plow attached to trucks.
“It’s been pretty crazy in Brentwood Bay,” he said.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, RCMP in Shawnigan Lake reported no serious accidents on the Malahat.
The assessment in Saanich was the same from spokesman Acting Sgt. Jereme Leslie, who reminded drivers to slow down and leave lots of room between vehicles because of icy road conditions.
By contrast, Saanich police dealt with 11 vehicle accidents on Monday.
In Victoria, police spokesman Const. Matt Rutherford reported no significant accidents.
Driving in snowy conditions can create other issues, though.
The B.C. Transportation Ministry issued a statement reminding motorists they could be fined $368 for not clearing their vehicle of snow, citing an example of a motorist caught on the Malahat.
The wording in the Motor Vehicle Act states: “No person shall drive or operate on a highway a motor vehicle the windshield or any window of which is in such condition that the vision of the driver is impaired.”
Victoria International Airport reported three flights cancelled before noon, all of them because of weather problems elsewhere.
“Hazardous winter conditions are expected. An intense Pacific warm front will arrive late Wednesday afternoon,” Environment Canada said in a warning that includes Greater Victoria.
The capital region is expected to see a high of 0 C today, with a low of 1 C at night and the possibility of snow and rain.
Snowfall is expected to vary considerably throughout the coastal region, from about five cm near the coast and up to more than 15 cm. “Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery,” Environment Canada said.
By Thursday, the daytime temperature is expected to rise to 9 C, bringing rain, and a low of 4 C at night.