There is another weather system on the way on Tuesday. EC is warning of significant snowfall across the Island but it’s going to be very variable as to where it choose to fall, and stick. You can see EC’s statement at the bottom of this post.
Timing around the Island.
Precipitation will begin to fall, likely as snow, in the early morning. Below is the 4-5AM picture. You can see it on the West Coast and around the hills of the Valley.
It reaches into the Alberni Valley by the 5 and 6AM hours Tuesday morning. Expect snow in the air and for sure on Highway 4 to the West Coast and possibly the Hump.
There is a strong band of precipitation that reaches over into the Qualicum and Bowser area around 7 or 8AM you can see it in the picture below as green and orange near Hornby and Denman Island. By this time things will be getting ugly in Vancouver as well but most of the east side of the Island seems pretty clear of precipitation.
This same pattern continues through the morning. There could be snow on and off in Port Alberni but whether it sticks is very difficult to say. The higher elevations will definitely see snow as will the highway to the West Coast.
The snow and rain should lighten and turn to just rain by the afternoon but this could be a very unpredictable event with some pockets seeing all snow sticking all day and some seeing mostly rain.
For the most part, the east side of Vancouver Island south of Parksville looks like it will be spared any snow or rain at all.
Expect showers to linger through all of Wednesday but it should be warm again by Tuesday night at the latest.
Environment Canada Special Weather Statement issued
10:54 AM PST Monday 03 February 2020
Special weather statement in effect for:
- Inland Vancouver Island
Significant Snow on Tuesday.
A favourable set up for widespread low elevation snow over the south coast is shaping up for Tuesday and Tuesday night. A front will track down the BC coast beginning Tuesday morning and combine with a cool airmass to produce snow across the lowlands.
Snowfall amounts will vary significantly across the region. The air will be cool, but not truly Arctic, so snowfall amounts will vary with proximity to the water, elevation and intensity of precipitation.
Anywhere from 5 to 20 cm of heavy, wet snow is expected. The highest amounts are likely over Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley where the snow will persist the longest, until Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Warmer air will arrive faster over Vancouver Island and the transition to rain there will start Tuesday afternoon.
Precipitation should be rain everywhere across the south coast lowlands by Wednesday as a flow of milder Pacific air returns.
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