March in Metro Vancouver is typically a month for digging in gardens, not shoveling snow.
On Sunday, however, residents around the Lower Mainland woke up to anywhere from a dusting (in downtown Vancouver) to 20 centimetres (in the Fraser Valley) of the white stuff.
Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the region at 10:30 a.m., saying another 5 to 10 centimetres are expected as scattered snow showers continue throughout the day.
Residents around the region told CTV News they’re sick of the winter weather and ready for spring.
“We were in Hope yesterday and the snow was in the mountains, nice and high, and I thought, ‘Well good, it can stay there,’” said Jane Boyd, who was out for a walk in the snow Sunday morning.
The weather didn’t cancel False Creek Rowing Club’s first regatta of the season, but it did keep several teams from Vancouver Island and Washington State from attending, according to club president Simon Litherland.
He said the club always holds its first regatta in early March, and usually weather conditions are more favourable.
“It’s the warmest part of Canada.” Litherland said. “Usually it’s not snowing, but it’s totally not frozen, so we can get out on the water. We’ve been training all winter on the weekends and things, so it’s great to get out.”
In Delta, March is usually the start of the spring season at Delta Golf Course, but on Sunday, the parking lot was empty.
At this time last year, the parking lot would have been more than half full, said Dave Freeman, who was closing up for the day when CTV News spoke to him around 11 a.m.
“We’re very dependent on the weather,” Freeman said. “If the weather’s good, then it all works out and we have a full parking lot.”
“This winter’s been harder than most for us,” he said. “Normally, we get the winter golfers. They can get out and play.”
With more snow showers in the forecast for Monday, Freeman’s hard winter looks set to continue at least a little while longer.
