The season's first major storm is bearing down on B.C.'s south coast, with weather warnings in effect for many regions.
Up to 20 centimetres of snow is forecast by Tuesday night.
A high-pressure arctic system moving over the province's interior is expected to continue bringing cold climes over the north and central coast, Environment Canada said Monday morning.
Outflow winds through inlets and valleys will mix with the cold temperatures to give wind chill values of -20 degrees or below in some parts of the north and central coast, including -25 degrees in Dease Lake.
Starting Monday, a moist frontal system arriving from the Pacific will clash with the Arctic flow, bringing snow over Vancouver Island Monday afternoon. That snow is expected to hit Metro Vancouver by late Monday night.
Warmer temperatures predicted for Tuesday are expected to change the snow into rain, with a chance of freezing rain over the Lower Fraser Valley.
Environment Canada said a freezing rain warning could be issued as early as Monday afternoon.
Easterly winds of up to 70 km/h will also develop over West Vancouver Island ahead of the frontal system, but are expected to ease overnight.
