People travelling across the Lower Mainland on Friday are being warned to stay off the roads if conditions “worsen.”
The warning, issued Thursday afternoon, comes from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure following Tuesday's chaotic snowstorm. It took people hours to get home as roads and bridge decks became skating rinks.
Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau says temperatures are still expected to plunge overnight Thursday (Dec. 1).
Seasonal averages for this time of year are around 7 C for a daytime high with a low of 1 C overnight. On Thursday, however, the mercury is expected to drop to -6 C overnight in the city. With the windchill, it'll feel like -12 C.
While the forecast includes "snow mixed with rain beginning in the afternoon," there is a potential for snow or rain heading into the night as temperatures sit near freezing, says Charbonneau.
"The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's maintenance contractors will be out in full force treating provincial roads with brine in advance of any precipitation and will be ready to manage any accumulations of snow,” says a press release.
During a press conference on Wednesday, the ministry said people leaving work earlier than normally caused snowplows to get caught up in the congestion.
Now, they are asking drivers to “do their part.”
The release states “drivers can do their part by planning ahead, staying off the road if weather conditions worsen, and ensuring their vehicle is properly equipped with snow tires if they have to travel.”
People driving on Friday are also asked to move over safely when they see a vehicle with an amber light approaching.
"This allows maintenance crews to clear the snow and improve road conditions to reduce hazards for drivers and help them get home safely,” the province said.
A snowfall warning has been issued for the Malahat Highway on Vancouver Island for Friday afternoon to Saturday morning due to slippery conditions and travel delays from heavy snow.
"The snow level will rise to near the Malahat Highway Summit level Friday night," states the warning. "Travellers are advised to be wary of changing road conditions due to the change from snow to rain."
Nearby communities could see up to 15 cm of snow.
Amounts of snowfall are not expected to be like what the area saw on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure said there were no fatalities on the road during the storm on Tuesday.
