Just after snowfall blanketed parts of Vancouver Island, Environment and Climate Change Canada says we can expect more snow this weekend.
Warning Preparedness meteorologist Armel Castellan says the scenario is the fifth arctic outflow event the Island and Sunshine Coast has seen this winter. The area normally sees it once or twice.
This is leading to cold temperatures, sometimes into negative double digits combined with wind chill in some areas.
While it is supposed to start warming up to highs of around zero or one degree on Friday, a warm pressure system will mix late that night and into Saturday morning, bringing more snow to the area.
Castellan adds, however, they are not sure how much snow this could bring in total.
“We’re probably going to remain on the fence as to whether it is going to be a marginal five-centimetre event or potentially quite a bit more,” said Castellan. “Right now, some of the models have the track of the low bringing this moisture down the coast right over the Salish Sea.
“That would spell out several different scenarios if it’s just a little bit further south or a little bit farther north, it will make a very big difference in terms of how much snow is going to fall, how strong the wind is and what direction it’s coming from and of course how quickly the warmup happens on Sunday.”
Currently, forecasts are suggesting a five to six degree high on Sunday bringing a transition to “snowman snow” and showers. Castellan is asking residents to monitor forecasts regularly and potentially make some changes to travel plans before heading out on the roads.
With the spring approaching, Castellan says we should be nearing warmer days soon. However, he adds that it is not uncommon to see cold temperatures in March with the current weather pattern.
“It is a third La Niña event in a row and we are waning from that, but cold conditions are a part of what we could see from about Christmas right into about spring,” said Castellan. “So, we are seeing probabilities that March will stay cooler than other Marches on record.”
He adds there is a possibility of more snow here and there, especially at higher elevations.
