Snowfall warning in effect... again

tiffiant

Snowfall warning in effect... again
Could see as much as 20 centimetres
News1130 Staff Jan 11, 2011 11:46:55 AM
16 Comment(s)  6 Recommendation(s) Related Stories

•Snow Links
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) - A snowfall warning has been issued for Tuesday night.  Expect 10 to 20 centimetres to fall.  It will stick at all elevations including the beaches of Metro Vancouver.

But by Wednesday morning, milder marine air comes ashore, and there will be a rapid transition from snow to rain throughout the morning hours.

The longer range forecast features rain and wind and warmer temperatures for Thursday and Friday heading into the upcoming weekend.


Change your driving

ICBC has released a video online to help you deal with challenging conditions.

"Beware, the road itself changes. When roads get wet, the pavement gets slippery, and in cold weather bridges and overpasses can freeze quicker than regular pavement. So it can be hazardous even if you don't see frost on the ground," says the gentleman in the video.


Check your flight

A reminder from YVR as we brace for snow. Best check your flight's status before heading to the airport.

Bad weather is causing delays and cancellations across the continent today.  Air Canada has issued alerts for Vancouver, Toronto, and big sections across the states, all because of snow.

Will schools be open on Wednesday?

The superintendent of schools in North Vancouver, John Lewis, is the guy who announces closures across the Lower Mainland. He says the decision will not be made until the morning.

"We get up early in the morning to see what materialized out of the weather forecast. We make contact with each other (other school district employees) and confirm what the circumstances are," explains Lewis.

He says he will be up by 5 a.m. The big decisions will likely be made just after 6 a.m.

School district staff across the Vancouver area will be up early too, checking road conditions and deciding if it's safe to open for the day.


Showtime for snow removal companies

tiffiant

With large amounts in the forecast, local snow clearing crews aren't leaving anything to chance.

It's actually a case of constant readiness this time of year if you ask Evan Shindle with Arctic Snow Removal.  "We make sure everything's fueled, everything's maintained, all the equipment.  We make sure all of our operators are ready to go and they're aware that it could be at a moment's notice."

The City of Vancouver work crews have a plan in place, too.  You can expect to see around 30 trucks, 10 more than usual, out on the regular routes.  Drivers will be doing a pre-salt on our roads after the afternoon drive home.

Snow tips


We turned to people who actually get a lot of snow to get some tips on how Lower Mainlanders can deal with the snow.

Tuesday's high in Calgary is -18 degrees and people there usually don't even blink an eye at 15 to 20 centimetres on the ground.

Kevin Usselman with our sister station 660News says we should try to enjoy it!

"Depends on what you want to do with your snow.  If I were you, I'd probably ball it up tonight and put it in the freezer and save it for a snowball fight later on, maybe during February when the tulips start to pop up.  You could always add some food colouring and call it a snow cone.  Or you could just stay in bed and wait for the rain to wash it away."

After all he says we didn't get a White Christmas, so we get a white January instead.

Where's my shovel?!

Every time it snows there are line-ups at the store for salt, sand and snow shovels.  So, News1130 is trying to solve one of the great mysteries of West Coast winter: where do all the old snow shovels go?

Do we lose them over the summer?  Are they stolen?  Do they go to the same place as the lost socks in the dryer or to some secret snow shovel graveyard?

The prevailing theory on the chilly streets is it's panic.  Call it snow blindness!  "People take them home and put them away and then a storm comes and they can't find them.  It's not like we use them all the time," says one passerby, who may have a point. The major tool for snow and ice removal for many people in Metro Vancouver is the credit card.  It makes a great makeshift windshield scraper.

Remember you can follow News1130 Meteorologist Russ Lacate on Twitter @news1130weather and make sure to sign up for his weather guarantee.

tiffiant

sunmoon

Street condition in Surrey is very nice even on the side roads this morning. The City did a good job.

lo_pak

Snow is not accumulating on road surface this morning in Burnaby...