There are also winter storm warnings for much of the Interior, including Prince George
As a weather system moves from the north to the south of British Columbia, there are warnings for snow and winter storms in most of the province.
Environment Canada sent out updated warnings on Saturday afternoon, saying that 10 to 25 centimeters of snow could fall in most of the Interior on Sunday.
By Sunday, it could snow up to 40 centimeters in the North Thompson, Columbia, Shuswap, and Kootenay Lake regions, and up to 30 centimeters in Prince George.
It also says that up to 25 centimeters of snow could fall in the Fraser Canyon.
Along the South Coast, which includes Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and the area around Whistler, 10 to 25 centimeters, or up to 30 centimeters at higher elevations, could fall.
On the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island, except for the northernmost parts, it could snow between 5 and 15 centimeters, with up to 20 centimeters in some places.
There are also winter storm warnings for much of the Interior, including Prince George.. They also cover the Fraser Valley, North Coast regions and long stretches of the Coquihalla Highway, Highway 3 and the Yellowhead.
The weather service says, “Think about putting off travel that isn’t necessary until conditions get better.” “Snow that falls quickly could make it hard to get around in some places.”
Environment Canada says that the snowfall and storm will calm down to flurries in most places by late Sunday.
Road crews and airlines are getting ready
In a statement released Friday night, the Transportation Ministry said that crews were applying anti-icing brine and would be out plowing to deal with the snow, but drivers were reminded not to drive if the weather was bad.
TransLink, the transportation network for Metro Vancouver, said it was taking steps to get ready for the snow, such as calling in more staff.
Dan Mountain, a spokesman for the authority, said that riders should check online or on social media before taking a trip in case there are problems on a route.
He says that they have set up a “snow desk” so that bus drivers can get the most up-to-date information from cities and towns. He also said that the number of people who can work at the desk and the number of phone lines have both grown since the big snowstorm in December.
He said that the people who work on the SkyTrain will have everything they need to make sure the doors open properly.
Mountain said, “That means de-icing fluid and hockey sticks.”
In a statement, a Vancouver International Airport representative said that about 15% of all flights into and out of YVR on Saturday evening had been canceled or were running late.
They say it’s possible that departures or arrivals could be put on hold for a short time due to low visibility and heavy snowfall.
The airport is getting ready for 15 to 25 centimeters of heavy, wet snow. The snowfall is expected to be heaviest between 7 p.m. and midnight.
“We have been working with [airlines] to adjust their schedules and thin out their schedules,” said chief external affairs officer Mike McNaney in an interview. He also said that the 15 percent number includes flights into early Sunday.
“Some flights have been delayed; others may have been canceled; and some have been moved to later in the evening or early the next morning to avoid the storm.”
Crews at YVR say they are already working to keep the runways clear, and airlines have been asked to make sure they have enough towing capacity so that empty planes don’t have to sit at gates.
People are being told to check the status of their flight before they get to the airport and to give themselves more time to get there.
The snow comes after a cold snap that hit most of the province this week. According to Environment Canada, the wind chill made it feel as cold as –45 °C in parts of northern and central B.C. and near the Rockies.