A week of sunny, cold weather in Metro Vancouver's forecast

After two months of what seemed like never-ending rainfall, Metro Vancouver is expected to receive a much-needed extended reprieve from any precipitation beginning on Monday through the coming weekend. But it will be cold, very cold.

While it will be mainly sunny, Environment Canada forecasts that daytime highs throughout the week will hover at the freezing point or just below freezing. As night falls, temperatures will be extremely cold with lows of -9°C expected.

A high pressure system mixed with another outflow of frigid arctic air is responsible for these cold and dry conditions. However, snowfall could easily happen if a band of precipitation moves in.

Despite rainfall and warming conditinos, much of the snow that fell over the past week could remain during the frigid week to come. Conditions on roads and sidewalks may become slippery due to the formation of ice.

Snowfall warning in the Fraser Valley continues

For Sunday’s forecast, snowfall is still expected for parts of Metro Vancouver, with higher elevations and eastern areas seeing as much as 5 cm later in the day.  Snowstorm conditions are in today’s forecast for the Fraser Valley where up to 20 cm is expected.

Low-lying areas near sea level in the Lower Mainland will see a mix of wet snow and rain.

Optimal conditions for local skiing and snowboarding

An extended period of cold and sunny temperatures also means an extended period of optimal skiing and snowboarding conditions. All three ski and snowboard hills on Metro Vancouver’s North Shore mountains have received ample snowfall over the past week.

40cm in the last 24 hours and it’s still coming! With Raven Ridge quad chair opening yesterday and amazing conditions like this we must ask… is this real life?! YES! For our detailed update visit our Downhill or Nordic conditions page! #powderdays #cypressmountain #cypressmtn #ski #snowboard

A photo posted by Cypress Mountain Resort (@cypressmtn) on Dec 11, 2016 at 10:27am PST

Here are the snowfall accumulations since Saturday and since the first snowstorm on Monday:

Cypress Mountain

• 24-hour snow: 40 cm
• 7-day snow: 138 cm

Grouse Mountain

• 24-hour snow: 34 cm
• 7-day snow: 112 cm

Mount Seymour

• 24-hour snow: 71 cm
• 7-day snow: 191 cm

Whistler Blackcomb

• 24-hour snow: 5 cm
• 7-day snow: 21 cm

Week-long forecast

Vancouver International Airport

Abbotsford

Squamish

Whistler Village