People living on B.C.'s South Coast woke up to a winter wonderland Monday morning as an "arctic outbreak" brought the season's first snowfall to the region.

The cold blast triggered a warning from Environment Canada, which cautioned that areas of Metro Vancouver would be hit by intense flurries over the course of the day.

"Snowfall accumulations will vary widely across the region. Some areas are not expecting snow to accumulate while others could see an additional 5 cm before the band dissipates," the weather agency said in an alert.

A similar warning was also issued for the western Fraser Valley, including Abbotsford.

The early morning snow caused commuter chaos in many parts of the region, with many spin-outs and accidents reported on major routes. Traffic was bumper-to-bumper on Highway 1 for much of rush hour.

In Vancouver, city staff said crews worked full-steam all weekend to prepare for the weather, and their efforts continued through Monday morning.

"We have a full fleet of vehicles, over 20 of them, that have been out for the past couple of days salting and applying brine," said Jerry Dobrovolny, manager of engineering for the city.

The city still saw its share of problems, however. Passengers on a bus headed north on Granville Street at Angus Drive were told to get off and walk because the road was too slippery.

Some motorists were left asking why main roads, including Broadway, weren't fully cleared, and the city confirmed that snowplows were not deployed in the morning.

"When it stays at just a couple of inches, then we just salt and brine and the mechanical action of the cars driving over the snow is enough that the salt will do its thing," Dobrovolny said.

The full fleet was out by the evening, including snowplows, and the city dispatched additional street crews to remove snow at bus shelters, gutters and catch basins.

Plows were deployed in nearby cities including Burnaby and Coquitlam in the morning, but there wasn't much they could do. Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said it's difficult to get plows onto the roads when snow is falling in the middle of the morning commute.

"The plow can't get onto it because it's full up with cars," Stewart said.

There were also reports of falling ice and "slush bombs" on both the Alex Fraser and Port Mann bridges, though the government hasn't confirmed how many cars were damaged. 

And motorists weren't the only ones who experienced problems. TransLink thanked riders for their patience as the transit system experienced multiple delays and cancellations on both buses and trains.

SkyTrains were temporarily stuck system-wide because of snow on the tracks, and some buses were running on limited service because of poor road conditions.

HandyDART also cancelled non-essential services in Vancouver and Richmond.

Vancouver International Airport said operations were generally running smoothly but that some aircraft required de-icing, and there have been some delays. Staff advised passengers to check on the status of their flight before heading to the airport.

Environment Canada said an incoming coastal system will see "bitter cold" on the mainland and Vancouver Island this week.

"We get into the much colder arctic air for Tuesday and Wednesday, so cold and sunny, overnight lows well below zero, and then the next threat for snow comes on Thursday," meteorologist Trevor Smith said.

People should prepare for winter-like conditions, and stay tuned to the latest forecasts and updates, the agency warned.

Local shelters say they are concerned for the homeless population, who may not be prepared.

"A lot of the homeless population haven't seen snow in about two years so they're already vulnerable," said Jeremy Hunka of the Union Gospel Mission.

"It's going to catch people off guard. That could mean the beginning of frostbite and serious health scares."

The snow also forced the cancellation of classes at Simon Fraser University’s Burnaby Mountain campus, and the B.C. Institute of Technology followed suit later in the day.

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Sheila Scott and Nafeesa Karim  

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