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Snow brings powder days to Mt. Washington, cancellations elsewhere on Island; expect very wet weekend

Mail delivery, garbage and recycling pickup postponed in some places
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Two skiers enjoy the view at Mount Washington, where more than 140 centimetres of snow is forecast for the weekend. VIA NICK THORNTON, MOUNT WASHINGTON

It’s been a great week for snowboarders and skiers at Mount Washington, but heavy snow at lower elevations has cancelled mail delivery and recycling pick-up, and kept municipal crews out around the clock to clear roads.

Winter enthusiasts have been enjoying powder days at Mount Washington over the holidays, where more than 60 centimetres of snow has fallen in the past week.

“The conditions have been incredible,” said marketing manager Kayla Stockton. “There’s pockets of powder still to be found everywhere in the morning. It’s been perfectly cold for the groomed runs, just incredible. And we’ve had some nice days of some good sunshine as well.”

More powder days are on the way for the mountain, with over 100 centimetres of snow forecast for Sunday alone and more than 40 cm expected on Saturday.

Like many businesses right now, the mountain is short-staffed, so some food menus have been reduced and visitors might wait a little longer for their meals, Stockton said. The resort is still hiring for the season.

Outside, however, things are in full swing, with all ski lifts running, including the Boomerang chair, which allows access to more advanced terrain on the mountain’s backside and opened earlier than usual this year on Christmas Eve. The chair typically opens when there’s enough snow around mid-January.

In communities across the Island, however, the snow is causing headaches, with many cancellations and closures.

About 10 to 15 centimetres fell overnight Wednesday in much of the south Island.

Canada Post suspended mail delivery in the Gulf Islands, Nanaimo and the south Island, and several Greater Victoria Public Library branches were closed Thursday because of the weather.

Esquimalt cancelled garbage pick-up on Thursday for most residents, and said those who should have had garbage picked up Wednesday will be serviced Friday.

The CRD cancelled blue-box recycling collection again Thursday after not collecting on Tuesday.

Nanaimo cancelled curbside collection of garbage, recycling and organics until Jan. 4 due to road conditions. Residents will be able to put extra garbage and recycling out on the next pick-up day.

Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor said Islanders tired of wintery weather can look forward to warmer temperatures this weekend, with a return to seasonal norms above freezing and significant rain forecast for Sunday. Seasonal temperatures for this time of year are highs of about 6 C and lows of about 1 C.

Higher elevations will likely see snow, but in Greater Victoria, “we’re going to have a wet weekend,” Proctor said.

The warmer weather may not last long, however, as unseasonably cold temperatures are expected to return in about a week.

Proctor urged drivers to be cautious and prepared for difficult and changing conditions.

Municipal snow crews have been going all out to plow roads and keep them clear.

In Nanaimo, the snow started Christmas Eve and didn’t stop until Wednesday afternoon, leading to accumulations of up to 60 centimetres, said David Thompson, Nanaimo’s manager of roads and traffic.

“It looks like Nanaimo and Nanoose got hit particularly hard, relative to everybody else,” he said.

City crews prioritize keeping major roads, emergency routes and transit routes clear of snow while it’s falling, and move to residential neighbourhoods once snow stops falling, Thompson said.

“Residential neighbourhoods had 15 inches of snow in them before any of our trucks were available to tackle them,” he said. So while the main roads are in good condition, neighbourhood roads are compact snow.

Langford has had few complaints about the roads, and people have been good about avoiding driving unless they need to, said Michelle Mahovlich, director of engineering and public works.

The cold temperatures mixed with snow pose an added challenge for snow removal, she said. When temperatures drop below about -4 C, salt bounces off the road surface because it’s too cold, Mahovlich said. At those temperatures, crews, which in Langford are contracted out, have to plow snow and sand the road from the back of a truck at the same time.

Meanwhile, the City of Victoria is asking people to stop skating on Harrison Yacht Pond, where people were playing hockey earlier this week, saying the ice is cracking and unsafe for walking and skating. The same caution goes for water features in Beacon Hill Park.

regan-elliott@timescolonist.com