VANCOUVER -- With temperatures expected to dip overnight in the Lower Mainland and snow in the forecast, Vancouver is opening extra emergency shelter spaces in the city.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement over the weekend, warning of accumulations up to 10 centimetres in some parts of the region.
In preparation, the City of Vancouver issued an extreme weather alert and announced it's opening extra shelter spaces and a warming centre.
The spaces are at:
- Directions Youth Services Centre at 1138 Burrard St. – open from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. with seven mats
- Evelyne Saller Centre at 320 Alexander St. – open from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. with 32 mats
- Tenth Church at 11 10th Ave. – open from 9 p.m. to 7:30 a.m. with 10 mats
- Warming centre at Powell Street Getaway at 528 Powell St. – open from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
"If you are sleeping outside, please come to the safety of the shelters," the city's notice says. "Physical distancing will be encouraged to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19."
Environment Canada says the weather system bringing wet snow or rain is expected to arrive to the South Coast by the afternoon. Precipitation will last overnight.
"Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions," the weather statement says. "Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow."
Monday's forecast predicts Vancouver's temperatures will dip as low as 2 C in the evening.
