Belated white Christmas? A winter storm is bringing up to 20 cm of snow to Metro Vancouver

If you love the snow, get ready for a second blast of winter weather in Vancouver, starting Tuesday, January 16th. As of Tuesday morning, a new snowfall warning has been issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada for Metro Vancouver, and up to 20 cm of snow is expected to accumulate.

Snowstorm on Tuesday

According to the warning, a snowstorm is expected to arrive Tuesday night and last until Wednesday afternoon or early evening.

During this storm, around 10 to 20 cm of snowfall is expected to accumulate on the mainland and the southern Sunshine Coast, while 10 cm is expected to accumulate on Vancouver Island and the northern Sunshine Coast.

The snowfall warning is in effect in the following areas:

• Metro Vancouver
• Fraser Valley
• Abbotsford
• Greater Victoria
• Howe Sound
• Whistler
• Sunshine Coast
• Southern Gulf Islands
• East Vancouver Island
• Inland Vancouver Island
• Sea to Sky
• Squamish
• Malahat Highway
• Goldstream
• Mill Bay

“Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow,” the warning reads. “Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow.”

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Residents of Greater Victoria can expect the snow to become mixed with freezing rain on Wednesday afternoon before easing in the evening.

There is also risk of freezing rain on Tuesday night in southern sections near the U.S. border, according to the ECCC.

This week’s forecast

In an interview with Curiocity, ECCC meteorologist Lisa Erven shares that the “cold weather snap” is here to stay at least until mid-week, with temperatures returning to “near-normal” by the end of this week.

As of now, the ECCC forecasts temperature highs between 0°C and 5°C between Tuesday, January 16th and Thursday, January 18th, and from 6°C to 8°C from Friday, January 19th to Monday, January 22nd. Following the snowstorm, Metro Vancouverites can expect Raincouver to be back in full swing.

So there you have it, snow enthusiasts. Get ready for another round of winter – and be prepared to adjust your driving to changing road conditions.

Stay safe out there!