Weather warnings issued for Vancouver Island with snow, rain in forecast

A plow clears new snow from the Malahat highway on Jan. 10, 2020 (CTV News)

Vancouver Island highways could see up to 10 centimetres of snow falling at higher elevations Tuesday as a storm system will bring heavy rains to Greater Victoria and Nanaimo.

Environment and Climate Change Canada issued a rainfall warning for southern Vancouver Island Tuesday morning, forecasting between 50 and 70 millimetres of rain for communities between Victoria and Nanaimo.

"Heavy rain, particularly for the afternoon commute, will reduce visibility and result in water pooling on roads," the weather service said. "As the atmosphere cools during the heaviest rain, wet snow may be mixed in."

The agency issued a special weather statement warning of snowfall for areas of the island that are 250 metres or more above sea level.

In particular, the summits of the Malahat highway north of Victoria, Highway 4 near Port Alberni, Highway 19 between Port Hardy and Campbell River, and Highway 28 between Gold River and Campbell River could see up to 10 centimetres of snow into Tuesday night.

"A low-pressure system will move towards the B.C. South Coast today," the weather office said.

"As it draws in cold air, snow levels across the south coast will fall. Combined with the intensity of the precipitation near the low as it brushes Vancouver Island, snow levels will drop to as low as 250 metres."

Alpine cameras on Mount Washington, west of Courtenay, show significant snow fell in the area overnight and continued to fall Tuesday morning.

Travellers are advised to keep an eye on the local forecast before setting out and driving according to the road conditions.

A wind warning is also in place for the Howe Sound region, where outflow winds could gust up to 90 km/h Tuesday night as an arctic air mass settles over the B.C. Interior.

"Winds will diminish below warning criteria Wednesday morning but will remain fairly brisk for the remainder of this week," the statement said.

"High winds may toss loose objects or cause tree branches to break. Motorists, especially in high-profile vehicles, may expect hazardous driving conditions on highways subject to strong crosswinds."

VANCOUVER FORECAST

While the Lower Mainland will escape the brunt of the storm, Vancouver's North Shore mountains and the higher peaks around the Fraser Valley could see a dusting of snow before Wednesday afternoon as the system moves through the region.

British Columbia's South Coast was on a potentially record-setting track for the warmest October in recent memory, but this week's unseasonably cool temperatures are expected to level out that trajectory.

On Monday, Environment and Climate Change Canada meteorologist Armel Castellan said temperatures are expected to warm up again by Oct. 31, with a return to seasonal or even above seasonal averages in the first week of November.