Metro Vancouver prepares for cold snap and up to 25 cm of snow
Credit to Author: Tiffany Crawford| Date: Fri, 10 Jan 2020 01:49:58 +0000
Vancouver is preparing for a major blast of winter with snow accumulations of up to 15 centimetres by Friday morning, and 25 cm for higher elevations.
Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a snowfall warning for B.C.’s South Coast overnight Thursday and on Friday.
An intense Pacific front is approaching, bringing precipitation that will fall mostly as snow at higher elevations of West and North Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Surrey and Maple Ridge, with 15 to 25 cm accumulating by late morning.
The city said in a statement Thursday that it’s readying its snow operations and winter-shelter response plans for the city’s homeless population. It added that if it receives snow accumulations, priorities include arterials, bus routes, bridges, emergency routes, school routes and priority bike lanes.
More snow is possible this weekend, and then early next week the region will be hit with “very cold Arctic air,” according to the agency.
On Monday, the region can expect below-freezing temperatures, with a daytime high Monday of –1ºC, along with a chance of snow, and an overnight low of –9ºC. The cold snap is expected to continue, with a high of –1ºC and a low of –7ºC Tuesday, with a chance of overnight flurries and a high of zero and snow on Wednesday.
The City of Vancouver says warming centres will be activated from Sunday to Wednesday, and all people are welcome to bring their carts and pets. Hot drinks and snacks will be available.
Since the start of winter, the city says warming centres have been open on 22 nights and have been visited 2,597 times.
These are the warming centres in the city of Vancouver that will be open during next week’s forecast cold snap.
TransLink says it is “activating plans to ensure transit service stays as reliable as possible.”
Some steps TransLink is taking include:
• Calling in extra staff to assist customers and co-ordinate service;
• Co-ordinating with municipalities on snow clearing if priority routes are impacted;
• Coupling Millennium Line trains into four-car configurations to increase capacity while SkyTrain attendants monitor guideways;
• Deploying special trucks to spread anti-icing solution on trolley wires;
• Installing brass “cutters” on some trolley buses to cut through ice on trolley wires.
If conditions are severe, the transit authority says it will replace its articulated buses with its more agile and conventional 40-foot buses, and install tire socks on buses on Burnaby Mountain and on key North Shore routes where hills and traction are an issue.
TransLink says the Environment Canada forecast, which calls for late-night rain followed by snow through the morning commute, will not allow for early salting because the materials will wash away before snow hits.
“We are encouraging customers to dress for the elements and use proper footwear to avoid slips and falls,” TransLink said in a release.
Environment and Climate Change Canada has posted a special weather statement for snow overnight Thursday and Friday in Metro Vancouver.
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