Snow, freezing temperatures tighten grip across B. C.
The Lower Mainland remains awash in snow as an Arctic front continues to bring freezing temperatures and snow to Metro Vancouver and parts of B. C.’ s south coast.
Temperatures at Vancouver International Airport dipped to - 8 C on Wednesday, while White Rock dropped to - 10 C and Abbotsford to - 15 C, said meteorologist Mark Madryga. He added blowing snow created whiteout conditions in Abbotsford, where northeast winds of up to 60 kilometres an hour made it feel as cold as - 24 C.
Const. Ian Macdonald, spokesman for the Abbotsford police department, cautioned drivers to avoid Vye Road and Highway 11 Wednesday morning, noting there were “bumper- to- bumper and challenging conditions.” Matsqui, Upper Sumas and Barrowtown elementary schools were closed, along with St. John Brébeuf secondary and St. James elementary.
Meanwhile in Chilliwack, a tree fell on a power line, leaving close to 2,000 households without power for several hours, according to BC Hydro.
Translink reported intermittent Skytrain delays due to frozen doors that affected the entire system. Buses across Metro Vancouver were also delayed by the road conditions, with the 99 B- Line particularly hard hit.
The weather is expected to remain mostly dry and cold throughout the Lower Mainland today, with a turnover to milder air Friday, Madryga said.
“We should see some snow here in Vancouver and the Fraser Valley kick in Friday morning, and then it will steadily turn to rain by about Friday afternoon in Vancouver,” he said. “In the Fraser Valley, it will be more like freezing rain, or even still snow. That’s going to be messy.”
Rain, and a milder forecast of about 6 C, is forecast for Saturday in Vancouver.
Conditions were moderate in the Lower Mainland Wednesday compared to those in Victoria, where an estimated 20 centimetres of snow pounded the region and made road conditions treacherous.
All schools in the provincial capital’s school district were closed, along with Royal Roads University, Camosun College, Qwam Qwum School in Nanaimo and all Vancouver Island University campuses.
In Colwood, two boys were hit by a BC Transit bus around 9 a. m. on Stornoway Drive, apparently after their toboggan shot down a steep driveway and on to the road. Firefighters found one of the boys pinned under the front axle of the full- sized bus.
Firefighters used airbags to hoist the bus and rescue the child around 9 a. m. B. C. Ambulance took both children to Victoria General Hospital with non lifethreatening injuries.