UDPATE 7 2PM
Just got back from Nanaimo. Took an hour to get through Nanoose. It’s snowing pretty hard over there still but only in places… you go from whiteout and people slipping everywhere (including trucks) to a clear lane and light snow. The Hump is clear and heavily sanded.
UPDATE 6 11AM: I’m headed home from VIU. There is about 8cm here. Hoping the rumour of VIU closing at 12PM is true.. either way too dangerous not to start now for me. Reader reports Hump is very slippery. Drivebc reports Limited Visibility and heavy snow from South of Nanaimo to Qualicum. Also an accident at Nanoose has closed Hwy 19 southbound. Be careful everyone!
UPDATE 5: The Hump cam is not working but there is a report on Driving Conditions at http://www.drivebc.ca
“Compact Snow with Slippery Sections Highway 4 Both directions – Compact Snow with Slippery Sections from Junction with Highway 4A to Junction with Highway 19 (1.6 km). Updated Wed Feb 23 at 9:23 am.”
“Compact Snow with Slippery Sections Highway 4A Both directions – Compact Snow with Slippery Sections from Junction with Highway 4 to Junction with Highway 19 (9.2 km). Updated Wed Feb 23 at 9:26 am. ”
UPDATE 4: Pretty much the entire island, including Port Alberni has snow falling right now. The East and Southern Island have snowfall warnings issued with up to 25cm expected in the south and 15cm nearer Nanaimo. EC is also reporting lightning (thunder snow!) in the Southern Gulf Islands.
UPDATE 3: Echoes are blossoming on the radar on the East Coast of the Island. In other words, watch out for heavy snow from Courtenay all the way to Victoria. We’ll see how much it accumulates.
UPDATE 2: Just got in at VIU. Light-to-moderate snow rate here starting at Lantzville. Dry north and west of there when I went through. It’s accumulating in Nanaimo slowly. Just small flakes, so nothing big yet.
Heard that police in Saanich are asking people to stay off the roads. Period.
UPDATE 1: Report from Langford outside of Victoria… they already have 5in of snow and it’s coming down hard at 6:47AM
Just looked at the new forecast this morning. The snow… I expected… (monty wins!)… but look at that windchill! Possibility of a windchill down to -16C. Now I will believe it when I feel it here in the Valley because we are generally pretty protected from North Easterly flow *but*, not completely. The stronger the wind on the East side, the more will spill over the Comox Glacier, the Beauforts, and the Hump.
If you’re out in Beaver Creek you can expect to get the worst of the windchill. Bundle up out there!
As for the possibility of snow. They’re calling for 5-10cm here. I have a feeling though that this may be more for the Cowichan Valley than for us. Right now the Malahat is getting hit hard at Goldstream.
Contrary to what normally happens, the further South you are today, the more likely it is you will have snow. The system has slipped that far south already so we may get spared the worst of it up here.
That said, stay on the lookout because wherever the snow does decide to hit, it wil hit hard.
Stay safe out there. Enjoy the snow. Bundle up. The sun is coming on the weekend… and then it gets really interesting.
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20 responses to “UPDATE 7: Whoa. Where’s my Parka??”
Another surprising twist by Mother Nature! A snowfall warning for Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands! Our forecast says 5-10 cm, but I’m sKeptical at this pojnt looking at the satellite and radar images it looks like it’s concentrated around the Southern tip of the Island.
Spoil Sport!
Looking at the Radar right now… the echoes are really blossoming all up the East Coast of the island.
Might get a lot more interesting just yet….
Chris, looks like you’re getting it good now. It just started snowing up here at the visitor centre. Weeee!
nothing yet here on river road (my office)
actually looks really bright looking westward. 🙂 but today i can’t even see the range (beaufort)
coming down steady here in Nanaimo.
Okay, Okay (backtracking), it’s coming down in the 3rd Ave area pretty good now! As soon as I left home and looked at the sky conditions on my way to work I new my skepticism was misplaced. East Island has a warning now too.
i spoke to soon lol i looked up after posted my last post there and it was snowing 🙂 i just came in from salting our parking lot 🙂
No snow in Beaver Creek yet……..so says my son
Eve, any report from the Hump? Cam is dead and no road conditions updates either.
Hump verry slippery, dangerous sections. I just had a lady stop in and tel me so. That’s all I know except for the drivebc site
Here in downtown PA still very small flakes and not amounting to much. In fact, the sun is trying to come out. Chris, check out those web cams – how’re you going to get home?
Not sure If I will.. drivebc reports an accident near Nanoose. Closed southbound… likely means major backups northbound
Snowing a little harder here now, Chris please be carefull!!!
Have a safe trip home Chris. Our forecast has been downgraded to 2-4 cm now, and it’s still not accumulating downtown.
Hump-cam is working! Bare and wet up there for now!
Good your home and safe!
Beaver Creek update: On and off blizzarding at my place……. North wind and blowing snow = Beautiful!!! Problem is, no one in my family agrees.
LOL! Don’t worry I agree with you!
Much the same around here.. though not snowing that hard.
Snow, what snow? Well, we had an inch on the ground in the early morning, but it melted under the noon day sun. Some flakes falling during the evening, and as of now temp is -2C. And I can’t plug the truck in :(!