30 cm of snow could fall in Metro Vancouver before storm ends: Environment Canada

As snow continues to fall on B.C.'s South Coast Wednesday, Environment and Climate Change Canada has updated its forecast to call for even more accumulations than initially projected.

In Metro Vancouver, the weather agency says up to 30 centimetres are expected, noting that between 15 and 25 centimetres had already fallen by 11 a.m. In its initial warning, ECCC said the maximum amount of snow expected was 20 centimetres.

In the Fraser Valley, where a winter storm warning is in effect, Abbotsford had seen 24 centimetres, Chilliwack saw 10 centimetres, and in Hope there were 13. On Vancouver Island, 15 to 20 centimetres had accumulated.

The updated weather warnings say snow is expected to taper off later Wednesday afternoon but warn of persistently hazardous conditions on roads and highways throughout the region.

"Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow," one of the warnings says.

Schools have been closed, flights have been cancelled or delayed and thousands were left without power as the storm hit. The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has urged people to stay off of the roads, where crashes as well as spun-out and stalled vehicles created chaos Wednesday morning.

People posting to social media from around the region have noted that standard-issue 30 centimetre rulers are close to being completely buried in snow.