Snow could make for dicey Friday commute around Lower Mainland
Posted January 9, 2020 6:12 am.
Last Updated January 9, 2020 6:13 am.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Thursday’s commute could be a whole lot easier than Friday’s.
NEWS 1130 Meteorologist Russ Lacate said conditions could get downright ugly, as the snow sets in.
“The worst of this incoming storm could still be 24 hours away, but there’s a lot of factors at play,” Russ said on Thursday morning. “I think it’ll be mixed rain and snow developing later tonight into Friday morning. It cools off ever so slightly.”
A special weather statement is in effect for the Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley regions, calling for potential snow starting Thursday night and the temperature hovering around the freezing mark.
We'll fill in the details as more data becomes available, but suffice it to say: Significant accumulations of wet #snow are anticipated late tonight, but more so Friday morning, particularly over higher terrain & away from the coastline. #BCStorm @NEWS1130 @BT_Vancouver pic.twitter.com/fXoYFKIe87
— Russ Lacate (@RLacate) January 9, 2020
“A lot of the precipitation actually changes to wet snow and accumulates, especially over hilly terrain and inland areas of Metro Vancouver, into the Valley,” Russ added. “Coastal communities probably getting a lot of rain and very little snow. All-in-all, a real mess into Friday morning.”
Higher elevations are expected to receive more snow, and forecasters are calling for accumulations to exceed five centimetres through Friday morning in some areas.
“It’s much more likely to be heavy, wet snow accumulating along the North Shore and some of the eastern suburbs throughout the Fraser Valley,” Russ said. “Even closer to the border, there’s a potential for a significant snow event Friday morning, then a shift to rain Friday afternoon.”
He expects the Metro Vancouver region will exchange the snowy weather for frigid conditions next week.
Before that, however, there are more flurries in the forecast for the weekend. Russ’ forecast is calling for a mix of showers and flurries on Saturday with a high around five degrees, and periods of snow on Sunday with temperatures around the two degree mark.
Follow NEWS 1130 meteorologists Russ Lacate and Michael Kuss on Twitter. You can also catch their reports on-air every Monday through Friday after traffic on the ones.
