The leaves are turning, there’s a chill in the air, and Halloween decorations are popping up in Vancouver neighbourhoods.
Fall is definitely underway, but how far away is winter? And, more importantly, when could Vancouver see its first snowfall?
White stuff already flew at Whistler last week, according to the mountain’s webcams. But getting snow in the city at sea level is a rarer occurrence.
Whistler Blackcomb
Daily Hive spoke with Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Ken Dosanjh to get the details on when Vancouverites should prepare for snow in the city and all the traffic headaches that come along with it.
We have about four more weeks before we need to start worrying about snowfall in Vancouver, according to the expert. Dosanjh said an October snowfall at Vancouver International Airport has only happened twice since weather records started being kept in 1896: on October 28, 1991, and on October 29 to 30, 1971.
Last year, the first snowfall of the season in Vancouver was relatively late on January 11. The year before that, the first snow fell on November 7 and 8.
“Typically, it’s pretty rare to see snowfall occurring in October. But when we look into November, we notice a lot more signals for more events,” Dosanjh said. “So, hedging bets, I’d say we have one more month to go until we could possibly see signs of some snowfall activity.”
Until then, October is looking relatively dry and warm — perfect weather for visiting a pumpkin patch or taking in the foliage.