Snow, rain, and wind: Three simultaneous weather alerts in effect for Vancouver

Dec 24 2021, 2:18 pm

It’s looking like Vancouver will be getting a white Christmas.

And a little bit more of a wintery weather cocktail.

Environment Canada has issued three concurrent weather alerts for Metro Vancouver, calling for snowfall, rain, and heavy winds.

Along with Thursday’s special weather statement, the federal weather agency has added a snowfall and Arctic outflow warning in the early hours of Friday morning.

Environment Canada

The holidays are expected to bring a chain of rain showers, flurries, periods of snow, and nighttime temperatures that could drop to as low as -9ºC on Christmas Day.

Those ugly Christmas sweaters might come in handy.

Here’s how all three of Vancouver’s weather alerts are forecast to play out:

Snowfall warning

A Pacific weather system is bringing snow to Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley on Friday morning. According to the alert, the snow is expected to be heavier early this morning and could potentially impact the morning rush hour.

Early this morning, a snowfall amount of 5 cm is possible over a short period of time.

“Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions,” says the weather agency. “Rapidly accumulating snow will make travel difficult. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.”

Snowfall warning in effect for:

  • Metro Vancouver – central including the City of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster
  • Metro Vancouver – North Shore including West Vancouver and North Vancouver
  • Metro Vancouver – northeast including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge
  • Metro Vancouver – southeast including Surrey and Langley
  • Metro Vancouver – southwest including Richmond and Delta

Arctic outflow warning:

Falling temperatures and heavy winds are forecasted to combine to produce wind chill values below -20ºC on early Sunday morning into Wednesday afternoon.

“An Arctic ridge of high pressure over the BC interior will bring strong and bitterly cold outflow winds to coastal communities beginning Saturday night,” says the statement. “The outflow winds will create wind chill values of minus 20 and below. Mainland inlets and areas that are exposed to outflow winds are more likely to experience these very cold wind chill values.” Temperatures are expected to remain “well below” the seasonal average and will “bottom out” near-record cold temperatures next week.

The agency warns that frostbite and hypothermia can occur “within minutes” if adequate precautions are not taken when outdoors.

“Be prepared for unusually cold temperatures and strong winds,” concludes the alert.

Arctic outflow warning in effect for:

  • Metro Vancouver – central including the City of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster
  • Metro Vancouver – North Shore including West Vancouver and North Vancouver
  • Metro Vancouver – northeast including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge
  • Metro Vancouver – southeast including Surrey and Langley
  • Metro Vancouver – southwest including Richmond and Delta

Special weather statement:

Thursday’s special weather statement remains in effect and is expected to last until Sunday.

“A weather system over the south coast this morning will remain in the region through Sunday,” says Environment Canada. “Initially, the system will bring rain mixed with snow for areas closer to the water and snow for inland areas and higher terrain.”

Cooler air from the BC interior will make its way out to the south coast on Friday night and temperatures are expected to dip below freezing.

Special weather statement in effect for:

  • Metro Vancouver – central including the City of Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster
  • Metro Vancouver – North Shore including West Vancouver and North Vancouver
  • Metro Vancouver – northeast including Coquitlam and Maple Ridge
  • Metro Vancouver – southeast including Surrey and Langley
  • Metro Vancouver – southwest including Richmond and Delta

Environment Canada urges citizens to continually monitor weather updates once an alert — or in this case, three — has been issued.

DH Vancouver StaffDH Vancouver Staff

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