Thousands across B.C.’s Lower Mainland woke up to a winter wonderland on the first day of 2017.
The snowfall warnings issued around 4 p.m. on Saturday by Environment Canada ended overnight, but not before the wild weather left a blanket of snow across much of Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
Ten centimetres of snow was recorded in the Fraser Valley, and 4.2 centimetres fell at Vancouver International Airport.
While some reveled in the picturesque start to the new year, the heavy snowfall also wreaked havoc.
More than 15,000 people across the Lower Mainland were left without power, buses were delayed, and emergency crews were kept busy by several accidents on the slick roads.
BC Hydro confirmed power was restored to more than 10,000 people across the Lower Mainland and Sunshine Coast by early Sunday afternoon, leaving another 5,000 still without power across the region.
TransLink kept busy by snowfall
TransLink was also kept on their toes New Year’s Eve, according to spokesperson Anne Drennan.
“We have reports of busses that are stuck pretty well in every area other than Richmond,” Drennan told CTV News Saturday night.
“There are areas in Vancouver where buses are stuck or had to divert routes or changed, and people should know there will be delays.”
Numerous buses were trapped on the roads – including nearly 10 stuck near the University of British Columbia Saturday night - causing massive delays for partygoers.
Snow and icy conditions persisted on Sunday causing some bus delays, but SkyTrain and SeaBus services were running normally.
HandyDart services were also running on schedule, except for in Surrey, White Rock, Delta, and Langley where essential services only were in operation.
Planes, ferries running smoothly
YVR officials told CTV News some delays were reported on New Year’s Eve, but things were running smoothly on New Year’s Day.
“Currently at YVR crews are busy deicing aircraft and working to keep aprons, taxiways and runways bare and wet for safe aircraft movement,” a spokesperson said in an email. “We are not currently seeing any winter weather related delays at YVR.”
BC Ferries were also running smoothly, and no delays were reported.
NYE celebrations hampered by snow
New Year’s Eve celebrations at downtown Vancouver‘s Canada Place were hampered by the snowfall, according to officials.
VPD officer Const. Brian Montague said the weather decreased turnout to the festivities.
“I think we likely would have seen more people if the weather would have been better,” he said Saturday night.
The City of Vancouver told CTV News salters and plowers had been working since Friday night, with 30 plow/salter units and two plow/salter trucks dispatched for “priority hills.”
Salting crews were out dealing with issues as they cropped up, the City added, and some crews were working double shifts to keep up with the snowfall.
