While areas of the capital region saw only a dusting of snow, including the Goldstream Park area, inland and northern parts of the Island reported up to 20 centimetres on Monday.
About 8,000 B.C. Hydro customers were without power Monday morning, some as a result of downed trees, while all schools in Comox Valley School District 71 were closed for the day “due to snowfall and unsafe road/walking conditions.”
An alert was in effect for highways at high elevations, including the Malahat portion of the Trans-Canada Highway from Goldstream to Mill Bay. At 8 a.m. Ministry of Transportation highway cameras on the Malahat at Shawnigan Lake Road showed bare and wet pavement with slushy areas and light snow on highway medians and grassy islands.
The rest of Greater Victoria is covered by a special weather statement forecasting between 2 and 10 cm of snow Monday over higher elevations.
Environment Canada snowfall warnings was issued for the east, west, and northern parts of the Island with forecasts between 5 and 15 cm of snow for East and West Vancouver Island, and up to 25 cm inland.
Residents reported that 11 cm of snow fell overnight in Courtenay and 5 cm in Nanaimo.
Environment Canada says a strong frontal system from the Pacific coupled with cold surface temperatures brought snow to both Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast.
Depending on the location, the snow gradually transitioned to rain or wet snow mixed with rain by early afternoon.
Total snowfall accumulations of 5 to 15 cm were expected by afternoon for most regions. However, inland sections away from the water and higher terrain of Vancouver Island may receive up to 25 cm of snow.
“Be prepared for changing weather and road conditions during the morning commute today,” said the weather forecaster. “Rapidly accumulating snow could make travel difficult over some locations.”
Drivers in the east, west and northern parts of the Island were advised to prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. See Drive B.C. for up-to-date conditions.
In the central to northern part of Vancouver Island about 7,000 people were without power. Many of the outages are under investigation, while some are blamed on snow causing downed trees.
About 1,100 were without power in Campbell River, 1,600 in Alert Bay and Port McNeill, about 1,500 in Port Hardy, and about 500 in Comox.
ceharnett@timescolonist.com
