Other weather warnings are in effect in several parts of British Columbia as winter storms continue to wreak havoc on the province’s road systems and utilities.
Environment Canada announced Friday that heavy snowfall was forecast for the interior of the province and warned drivers of the dangers on major highways, some of which have been closed.
Much of the north has been placed on extreme cold alert and, as BC Hydro crews scramble to restore power thousands of customers on the south coast, a wind warning has been issued for Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria.
According to DriveBC, a high avalanche risk has already forced the closure of Route 3 at Allison Pass and Kootenay Pass, as well as Route 1 north of Yale. Highway 5, which was open to commercial traffic only, is currently closed between Hope and Merritt due to freezing rain. Highway 99 remains open despite an avalanche warning between Pemberton and Lillooet.
Update to #BCStorm : Crews continue to work in these difficult weather conditions to restore power as quickly and safely as possible. Heavy snow made access difficult in some areas. Here is a glimpse of what they are seeing on the ground. Breakdown Information: https://t.co/IkSxPEu3Qk Photo. twitter.com/P2qTR2kUyf
Snowfall and slippery roads have also prompted travel advisories for sections of Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, the Trans-Canada from Eagle to Rogers Pass and the Yellow head and South Klondike Highways.
Up to 25 centimeters of snow is possible for the Coquihalla Expressway on Friday as an intense Pacific frontal system continues to bring heavy snow and freezing rain to the region.
Freezing rain is forecast for parts of the Fraser Valley and Howe Sound causing a Sea-to-Sky Highway Notice, also.
The City of Chilliwack has advised people to avoid non-essential travel due to the ice storm. He says crews are working to apply salt and sand to the roads and residents should report downed power lines to 911 and downed trees to the city.
Road conditions are available on drivebc.ca.
Schools were closed for another day in the Mission, Chilliwack and Fraser Cascade school districts.
The CCGS Sir John Franklin is on a humanitarian mission to transport @BCHydro to Bella Bella. BC Hydro was unable to reach Heiltsuk First Nation by road or air due to the #BCstorm pic.twitter.com/9hnAdlNGQp
Wind warning, breakdowns
Environment Canada is forecasting strong winds for Metro Vancouver and Greater Victoria starting Friday morning, which does not bode well for BC Hydro crews as gusts of up to 90 km / h could result in more power outages = blackout.
More than 20,000 customers woke up Friday morning night, mostly in the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island.
In northern Vancouver Island, residents of the remote communities of Tahsis and Zeballos have been without power since January 4. Heavy wet snow damaged transmission lines and infrastructure in several locations, which are currently only accessible by helicopter.
Authorities say due to weather conditions the access road to Zeballos may not be safe for drivers until January 14.
The Canadian Coast Guard said on Friday that one of its ships transported crews from BC Hydro to Bella Bella to restore power to the Heiltsuk First Nation after crews were unable to access the community by road or helicopter .
“The situation is critical, with a power outage for several days and dwindling fuel supplies for the community,” the coast guard said in a statement.
There are numerous road closures this morning due to snow. Highway #Coquihalla remains closed between #Merritt and Hope due to poor driving conditions. # Hwy3 is closed via the Kootenay Pass and between #Hope and #Princeton due to the high avalanche risk. #bcstorm pic.twitter.com/jX33LKeBhT
“Conditions on the water are difficult, with storm warnings and freezing spray.”
BC Hydro reminds customers of the importance of keeping an emergency kit equipped with enough supplies to last 72 hours, including water, non-perishable food and batteries.
BC Ferries canceled several south coast crossings on Friday due to high winds. They include crossings between:
- Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay.
- Tsawwassen and Duke Point.
- Horseshoe Bay and Depart Bay.
- Powell River and Comox.
- Powell River and Texada Island.
Exact details of canceled crossings can be found on the BC Ferries website.
Environment Canada says the winds should ease during the afternoon.
The Vancouver Park Board closed sections of the seawall, while the City of West Vancouver closed the seafront promenade and Ambleside Park due to the winds and a simultaneous rising tide.
Royal tide is a colloquial term for the highest tides, which occur due to additional gravitational forces on Earth’s oceans produced by the sun and moon.
Ambleside Park is now closed. The Seawalk remains closed. For your safety, avoid these areas and obey the closure signs. Strong winds and high tide create dangerous conditions on the waterfront. #WestVan https://t.co/5t4TrDrVuk
Watch out for frostbite
Temperatures in the north fell below -40 ° C in some communities on Thursday, with Dease Lake reaching -43.5 ° C, a record for the city in the northwest of the province.
Extreme cold alerts were issued Friday for Dease Lake, as well as the Peace River, Cassiar Mountains, Haines Road, Muncho Lake Park and Williston area.
According to Environment Canada, a very cold air mass hovering over northern British Columbia through Saturday, combined with moderate winds, could create wind chill values below -40 ° C.
The weather agency is warning people to watch for cold-related symptoms, including shortness of breath, chest pain, muscle aches and weakness, numbness, and color change in fingers and toes.
To find the forecast for your community, visit Environment Canada.
For a list of shelters, including women-only shelters and family shelters where homeless people can shelter from the cold, visit Housing in British Columbia.
“Coffeeaholic. Lifelong alcohol fanatic. Typical travel expert. Prone to fits of apathy. Internet trailblazer.”