Evening, overnight snow likely to impact commute in Metro Vancouver

VANCOUVER -

Snowfall that began in Metro Vancouver Monday afternoon will likely last overnight and impact the morning commute, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.

The agency issued a special weather statement for the region, saying the amount of snow that will accumulate will vary widely across the region based on elevation and proximity to the ocean.

"Most locations can expect 2 to 4 centimetres. Some locations may receive none, while others receive near 10 centimetres."

People are being encouraged to monitor the latest travel conditions and weather alerts online.

Mainroad Contracting announced that its snow plan has been activated, and that lane closures are in effect on two of the region's busiest crossings.

On the Port Mann Bridge, the HOV lanes are closed east and westbound. On the Alex Fraser, "rolling closures" are in place with the potential for a full closure of the slow lanes.

Motorists are being asked to give crews room to work and to drive to conditions.

B.C.'s Ministry of Transportation is advising people to prepare for the possibility of further closures.

"Drivers should be aware that provincial bridges and highways may be closed on short notice to prioritize driver and passenger safety," a statement released Monday said.

One Vancouver driving expert tells CTV News the combination of snowfall and temperatures hovering near freezing are a recipe for disaster on the roads.

"The snow melt creates wetness and then it freezes and it is essentially creating ice on the roads," said Josh Smythe, BCAA Automotive Specialist. "It creates a zamboni effect and it continually gets worse as it thaws, refreezes, thaws and refreezes ... It creates a horrible scenario in regards to road conditions."

With Monday’s snowfall, TransLink was warning riders to prepare for longer wait times, but reassures public it’s well prepared for such conditions.

The transit authority says it is prepared to make a number of moves if necessary to keep the system moving is conditions worsen including installing tire socks, running trains overnight and deploying de-icing fluid on tracks and SkyTrain doors. 

“We’re in constant touch with the municipalities to make sure that the roads are cleared so that the buses can run,” said TransLink spokesperson Shruti Prakash Joshi.

Riders are encouraged to look up their routes online in case of any changes and delays. 

A snowstorm over the weekend blanketed the region causing cancellations and delays at Vancouver International Airport. On Saturday, roughly 15 per cent of flights were preemptively called off in anticipation of overnight conditions. In total, the storm caused 201 cancellations. 

On Monday afternoon, a social media post from YVR said snow was falling but not accumulating at the airport.

"We are monitoring the weather closely and working with partners to make sure we keep passengers and planes moving safely," it said.

 The weekend blast of winter weather also resulted in power outages for an estimated 80,000 BC Hydro customers across the province on Sunday morning. The combination of wet, heavy snow and gusty winds increased the risk of breaking branches and downed trees, which impacted the utility's system. Service was restored to the vast majority of people by nightfall Sunday.

Residents of the community of Buntzen Bay, however, were left in the dark overnight with service expected to be restored some time on Monday afternoon. 

With files from Tahmina Aziz and Kevin Charach