Road chaos avoided for now as storm dumps snow over Metro Vancouver

A series of storms made landfall over Metro Vancouver this morning, dumping rain downtown and snow at higher elevations.

While road closures and 11-hour commutes thankfully didn’t happen in the morning, Environment and Climate Change Canada has a special weather statement out saying this is just the beginning — the wet weather and snow accumulation are expected to last through Tuesday.

“Today, there will be the potential for snow to reach sea-level along the coastal sections of the south coast. Mild air moving into the region will help transition any snow to rain likely by later this afternoon,” the weather agency said.

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Strong winds could also be part of the package, with the fast gusts expected to hit the South Coast Monday evening.

Snow accumulation is expected at higher elevations. Pictures from around Metro Vancouver showed enough snow at Simon Fraser University to build a snowman.

2cm of Snow on the ground at SFU. 630am. Enough to build a small Snowman! #bcstorm pic.twitter.com/xuZbDyGybz

— Brad604 (@Brad604) January 8, 2024

The Ministry of Transportation warned drivers Sunday night that Monday’s commute could be challenging. It asked drivers to ensure they had supplies for a longer-than-usual journey and to use appropriate tires.

Attn: #LowerMainland drivers — Wintery conditions overnight into tomorrow AM could create challenging driving conditions tomorrow.

Use caution, prepare for longer commutes, & ensure vehicles are properly equipped with winter tires.

Cc @DriveBChttps://t.co/WloFBKQcz7

— Lower Mainland Dist. (@TranBC_LMD) January 8, 2024

The Massey Tunnel and Alex Fraser Bridge both experienced morning delays due to vehicle incidents, but luckily there were no highway closures around Metro Vancouver.

For those travelling outside the city, there is a snowfall warning in effect for the Sea to Sky Highway and a winter storm warning for the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt.