Metro Vancouver will experience cold, snowy weather this week

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Some Metro Vancouver residents may be walking through a winter wonderland as we head into December this week.

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Environment and climate change Canada is forecasting cooler temperatures and possible snow at higher elevations from Monday night.

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A period of snow or rain is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday, with daytime highs around 5°C and overnight lows as low as -3°C.

Thursday, the first day of December, will likely see light snow in the morning, and mercury can drop to -6°C overnight.

This means Vancouver will open five temporary shelters that will open nightly from November 1 through March 31, plus five extreme weather shelters (if temperatures feel zero or below zero). Become. , the city will also open five warming centers.

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Elsewhere in BC, Environment and Climate Change Canada has issued 12 snow warnings or winter storm warnings for communities in the southeastern and northern parts of the province.

A Pacific frontal system sweeps inland BC this weekend and is expected to bring heavy snow and strong winds before fading on Sunday.

Snow warnings have been issued for parts of the Boundary, East Columbia, Kootenay Lake, Shuswap, West Columbia, West Kootenay and Peace River regions.

A winter storm warning has been issued for parts of Fraser Canyon, Fraser Valley, Nikola Region, Okanagan Valley, Similkameen, and South Thompson Region.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the storm is expected to bring up to 25 centimeters of snow.

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The agency warns drivers that heavy snowfall is also expected on coastal passes, which, combined with gusty winds, could make driving conditions worse.

According to Kelly Sonnenburg, a meteorologist at The Weather Network, the hardest part of this weekend’s drive will be moving from the inland to the coast.

Sonnenberg said 20 to 40 centimeters of snow is expected on the Coquihala Highway, with a mix of icy precipitation.

“When temperatures fall well below freezing, most, if not all, precipitation will fall as snow,” Sonnenberg said. “It’s been over three weeks since he had snow in Vancouver and the lower elevations, and this event could be much more important than last time.”

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Daytime highs are expected to reach -2 digits in much of central and northern BC this week, and -1 digits in the south, according to the network.

BC Housing announced earlier this month that it will have 2,080 temporary winter shelter spaces and over 480 extreme weather shelters in the state.

According to BC Housing, the new spaces have opened more than 4,910 shelter spaces, including permanent, temporary and emergency shelters, in 50 communities statewide.

ticrawford@postmedia.com

— Using files from The Canadian Press