After days of nice and mild weather in British Columbia this week, the unsettled pattern will return with several systems heading into Friday and the weekend. While these systems will bring useful snow to ski areas, it can make for difficult and dangerous travel through mountain passes. The Coquihalla Highway is expected to receive between 20-40 cm of snow with some sleet mixed in as well. Arctic air will migrate south later in the weekend, with a much more wintry circulation forming over southern BC next week. Parts of the South Coast will be at risk of a fair bit of snow as temperatures cool and an active pattern sets in next week. More on weather and impacts below.
This weekend: Dangerous travel with heavy snow through the mountain passes
Two fronts moving up the coast on Friday will bring new snowpack to the alpine level by the weekend. While this will be welcomed by ski resorts officially kicking off their winter season, with freezing levels starting to drop below 1,000 meters ahead of next week’s arctic air mass, this weekend’s travel across the passes could prove dangerous at times.
MUST SEE: Don’t Call It Homecoming, Canada: Winter Hasn’t Even Started
“The most challenging travel this weekend will be for anyone traveling inland to the coast,” said Kelly Sonnenburg, meteorologist at The Weather Network. “The Coquihalla Highway is expected to receive between 20-40 cm of snow with some sleet mixed in.”
As a result, drivers may consider postponing any non-essential travel, especially as weather and visibility in the mountains can change very suddenly.
WATCH: Why this ski season could be the best in three years
Freezing levels will fall inland, meaning cities and communities across the Okanagan will receive anywhere from a few centimeters to 10cm of snow. Further east into the Rockies, snow will be heavy, with 15-30 cm expected for the mountain peaks and Eagle, Rogers and Kootenay passes.
Behind Sunday’s second front, arctic air will migrate south, leading to the establishment of a cool air mass mid to late next week. Daily highs starting next week will be in the minus double digits for much of central and northern BC, and in the minus single digits to begin in the south.
By mid to late week, temperatures in the central and northern interior will drop to -20 degrees for daytime highs. Overnight lows in the north will creep towards -30 degrees, with wind chills making things even colder.
Look ahead: Widespread snow threat on the South Coast next week
As cold air settles in next week, a system from Alaska is expected to dive toward the South Coast, bringing widespread snow.
“At temperatures well below freezing, most, if not all, of the precipitation will fall as snow,” says Sonnenburg. “It will be more than three weeks since Vancouver and the lower elevations have received snow, and this event could be much more significant than the last.”
PHOTOS: Vancouver’s early-season snowfall catches the city by surprise
Wow, we really did it! With 1.2 cm of snow recorded at the Vancouver weather station. Vancouver just recorded its earliest snowfall of the season in 31 years. It hasn’t rained this early since 1991… #bcstorm
Wow, we really did it! With 1.2 cm of snow recorded at the Vancouver weather station. Vancouver just recorded its earliest snowfall of the season in 31 years. It hasn’t rained this early since 1991… Brad Atchison on Twitter: “Wow, we really did it! With 1.2 cm of snow recorded at the Vancouver weather station. Vancouver just recorded it’s earliest snowfall of the season in 31 years. it hasn’t rained this early since 1991… #bcstorm / Twitter” Brad Atchison on Twitter: “Wow, we really did it! With 1.2 cm of snow recorded at the Vancouver weather station. Vancouver just recorded it’s earliest snowfall of the season in 31 years. It hasn’t rained this early since 1991… #bcstorm / Twitter”
— Brad Atchison (@Brad604) Brad Atchison on Twitter: “Wow, we really did it! With 1.2 cm of snow recorded at the Vancouver weather station. Vancouver just recorded it’s earliest snowfall of the season in 31 years. It didn’t rain in early 1991… #bcstorm / Twitter”
Be sure to check back for the latest updates on the BC model change
Add Comment