B.C. snowstorm live: Port Mann, Alex Fraser bridges closed | Transit disruptions nearly fully cleared | Air Canada, WestJet suspend flights in and out of YVR

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Another winter storm is hitting the B.C. south coast, which is still recovering from heavy snowfall earlier in the week that grounded flights, jammed roads and suspended ferries.

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With days to go before Christmas, provincial officials are advising residents to stay put and avoid non-essential travel as conditions on the region’s roads and highways are expected to be treacherous through Saturday. Most highways in the region have travel advisories in place due to rapidly changing conditions. Check Drive B.C. before you go anywhere.

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Some 20 to 30 centimetres of snow was predicted — though many areas saw much less as the snow morphed into freezing rain overnight. That is expected to be followed by more freezing rain Friday then torrential downpours as temperatures warm up. The freezing rain could linger longer in the Fraser Valley and on Vancouver Island.

Follow this live blog for regular updates.

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Port Mann, Alex Fraser bridges closed due to falling ice

The Port Mann Bridge on Highway 1 and Alex Fraser Bridge on Highway 91 closed Friday morning because of the risk of ice falling from cables onto vehicles.

Freezing rain caused ice to accumulate on the bridge cables, which cross all traffic lanes. The bridges will remain closed until the weather warms up enough to melt the ice.

The next status update is at 6 a.m. Dec. 24.

Transit service disruptions, says TransLink

Due to ice buildup in the guideway, there is no service on the Millennium Line between Lougheed and Burquitlam stations.

Braid and Sapperton stations are open and Expo Line has returned to regular service patterns.

Canada Line is running regular service patterns.

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TransLink says Coast Mountain buses are being re-routed to help people get around during the SkyTrain disruptions.

Highway 3 warning in effect until Monday

Heavy snowfall mixed with freezing rain is expected to create hazardous road conditions on Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton and Princeton to Hedley, beginning this evening and persisting until Monday.

Based on the latest forecast, drivers are advised to avoid non-essential travel on this route. Those who choose to travel should exercise caution, expect difficult road conditions and be prepared for closures on short notice.

Avalanche technicians are monitoring at-risk areas and will be providing regular hazard updates as conditions change. Drivers are advised of moderate to high avalanche risk and closures on parts of Highway 3 and Highway 1 through the Fraser Canyon.

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Large number of flight cancellations at YVR and other B.C. airports

WestJet and Air Canada cancelled a large number of flights in and out of Vancouver International Airport and four other B.C. airports as a winter storm hit the region.

WestJet says the cancellations apply to all flights scheduled to arriving or departing YVR between 11:50 p.m. PT Thursday and late Friday afternoon.

Other B.C. airports affected by the service disruption include Abbotsford, Victoria, Nanaimo and Comox.

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Several other Canadian and international airlines flying into and out of YVR followed suit with cancellations.

Diederik Pen, WestJet’s chief operations officer, says in a statement the decision to stand down flights is extremely difficult but necessary in order to fly safely with as little disruption as possible until the weather improves.

“The prolonged and extreme weather events that continue to impact multiple regions across Canada are unlike anything we’ve experienced,” Pen said Thursday.

Both WestJet and Air Canada are offering refunds or alternative flight options for travellers between now and Dec. 26.

— With a file from The Canadian Press

Freezing rain a challenge for road crews

Freezing rain presents different challenges than snow for removal companies.

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Several of the Fraser Valley’s large snow-clearing companies had an emergency Zoom meeting late Thursday to make a plan to clear icy parking lots.

“It was decided that snow-removal crews would take a snow day,” joked Chad Ooms, director and owner of Pro Snow Solutions, which runs about 250 crews from Vancouver to Abbotsford, clearing parking lots for businesses, warehouses, strata units, retail shops and school districts.

Ooms explained that with a forecast of snow overnight turning to freezing rain in the morning, many companies decided not to clear the snow in order to create some traction and insulation. If the snow had been cleared, rain would fall onto frozen concrete and asphalt, freezing the water on contact to create a skating rink.

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“We want some sort of traction instead of sheer ice,” he said.

After doing a final snow clear around 2 a.m., Ooms called his crews back home, getting them off the roads before the freezing rain hit.

“Our call was to keep an eye on the radar and get everyone back home safely. Many other companies did the same thing. I think our clients understood why this was the best plan,” he said.

Now snow removal companies are in a “wait-and-see” pattern. Weather models vary and some show “icebox” conditions lasting 36 hours in the Fraser Valley.

Once it thaws a little, Ooms and his crews will be back out again to clear away remaining snow.

Chilliwack shelter never turns people away

At Ruth and Naomi’s Mission in Chilliwack, no one is turned away.

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In addition to about 105 beds at its year-round shelter, the mission operates an extreme weather shelter at a local church hall, said executive director Scott Gaglardi. There are about 50 people staying there right now.

“You can show up at 3 a.m. and we’ll get you inside,” he said.

Gaglardi said the weather is “incredibly challenging” for people who don’t have a home. Feet get cold and wet, with dry socks and footwear always needed.

“There’s risks with substance use, and sometimes people stay out far longer than they should. We’ve done some rescues where we help people get out of a precarious situation,” he said.

During the day, the mission’s main shelter is a warming centre. Three meals and snacks are served in a dining hall.

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“It’s a very challenging time of year,” said Gaglardi. “Both the weather and the season. For people experiencing homelessness, (Christmas) can be a reminder of things they’ve lost, or things they’ve never had.”

Snow and ice a struggle on the farm

There are no snow days for farmers.

Ice and snow mean more work to keep livestock comfortable and fed. “The cows are cozy, but we’re not,” Chilliwack dairy farmer Sarah Sache said Friday.

After hearing the forecast, the farm had feed delivered before the roads drifted over. “We’re clearing our own road now so the milk truck can get through,” she said.

Sache and her family spend most of their day in the barns, ensuring water troughs and feed doesn’t freeze and cows are well bedded. The barn doors are closed up tight and the heat from the herd helps keep the temperatures above freezing, she said.

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Sache wears several layers of clothes under her coveralls, but her feet are often cold in gumboots.

“I like to joke that it’s like showing up at a ski hill in a swimsuit,” she said. “We’re not really set up for this. We can make it work, but it takes a lot of effort.”

She applauded milk truck drivers for braving the roads to make pickups. “There’s no concern about food security. They’re getting through,” she said.

In Abbotsford’s Sumas Prairie Friday, farmers were using tractors to clear the roads.

Don’t leave pets and animals outside, advises B.C. SPCA

The SPCA is asking people who can’t care for their animals not to abandon them outside.

“People sometimes abandon animals in a box on our property,” spokesperson Lorie Chortyk said Friday. “If you can’t look after an animal, please call us. There’s no judgment.”

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The SPCA’s animal help line has received many calls about animals being left outside in the storm. Pet owners are urged to keep their animals indoors, even those that go in and out in normal weather, and to limit outdoor exercise, particularly for older animals. While the SPCA doesn’t advocate dressing up pets because it can impede normal animal communication, cold weather is an exception and a coat can help them stay warm.

Chortyk said there are no laws forbidding animals from being outside in cold weather, but animals should not be in distress and “they’re much more likely to be in distress if they have to be outside.”

Animals should have an insulated, warm shelter that’s off the ground, with food and water that’s not frozen.

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The SPCA also advises people to wash their pets’ paws after walking on salted sidewalks and to bang the hood of their cars before starting them to ensure feral cats or wildlife aren’t hiding in the engine. Using a pet-friendly antifreeze can help save animal lives as well.

Chortyk said it can be helpful to set out fresh water for wildlife whose water sources may be iced up. Hummingbird feeders should be checked regularly to ensure they’re not frozen and cleaned throughly to avoid bacteria.

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Highway 4 toward Tofino closed

On Vancouver Island, a 50-kilometre stretch of Highway 4 to Tofino is closed because of a downed tree, according to Drive B.C. The highway is closed between the Taylor River rest area and the Tofino Ucluelet Highway. Road crews are working to remove the tree.

That comes as more than 4,600 people in Tofino and Ucluelet are without power because of a transmission circuit failure. B.C. Hydro says crews are on scene and working to restore power.

The province’s commercial vehicle safety and enforcement officers were on the Malahat overnight checking that commercial vehicles had the necessary chains and safety equipment.

— Katie DeRosa

B.C. Ferries cancels dozens of Friday sailings 

B.C. Ferries cancelled dozens of Friday sailings scheduled because of the fierce winter storm overnight.

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Cancelled Friday morning were round trips on the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay, Tsawwassen-Duke Point, Horseshoe Bay-Departure Bay and Horseshoe Bay-Langdale routes. The Comox to Powell River and Swartz Bay to Southern Gulf Islands morning sailings were also suspended.

The first two round trips on smaller routes such as Nanaimo to Gabriola Island, Denman to Hornby Island and Horseshoe Bay to Bowen Island were cancelled as well.

The ferry company had earlier warned of a strong likelihood of sailing cancellations due to high winds and poor road conditions leading to and from terminals.

B.C. Ferries’ website was down Friday morning but has been restored. Service updates are also available via Twitter.

Stay home: B.C. officials warn against non-essential travel as region braces for triple-whammy storm

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Residents of B.C.’s south coast are being warned to prepare as another winter storm is set to hit the region, packing a triple punch of heavy snow, freezing rain and a deluge of rain.

On Thursday, B.C. officials held a news conference to underscore the severity of the incoming storm, which comes days before Christmas as the region is still buried under snow from earlier storms.

Watch the news conference here:

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Vancouver Island, Howe Sound, Whistler, Sunshine Coast, the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley could get snow accumulations of 20 to 30 cm over a 10- to 12-hour period, said Transportation Minister Rob Fleming.

Then as temperatures rise, the snow is forecast to transform into freezing rain and ice pellets starting Friday and into Saturday, depending on the location, before turning into heavy rain, as much as 80 mm in some parts of the region.

“We are watching this freezing rain event very closely as it has the potential to have a very significant impact on road conditions across the south coast of B.C. including Vancouver Island,” said Fleming.

“The freezing rain is such a concern in fact that my ministry is strongly advising against any form of travel tonight through Saturday.”

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The freezing rain is a concern primarily for the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. In the Valley, it could last up to 36 hours and cause slippery and dangerous road conditions, said Emergency Management Minister Bowinn Ma.

She said people in these areas should only travel if necessary. “I know people have plans to travel to their friends and families, but these are very dangerous conditions and we want to make sure everyone is safe.”

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The storm could affect several highways, particularly the Malahat and Highway 4 from Port Alberni to Tofino, said Fleming. The western portion of the Coquihalla is also vulnerable, as are Highway 1, 7 and 11 in the Fraser Valley.

Freezing rain occurs when snow encounters a layer of warm air causing it to melt and become rain, which then refreezes as it makes contact with a frozen surface.

“This is a very hazardous phenomenon,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon. “Anytime we get several hours of that, it can have great impact.”

The freezing rain is expected to start on Vancouver Island late Friday morning and continue into the afternoon. It’ll hit Metro Vancouver starting midday Friday to late afternoon before moving to the Fraser Valley, where it is expected to linger through Friday night into Saturday, possibly longer.

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Freezing rain could coat highways in ice, and can be very difficult for road maintenance crews to manage, said Fleming.

The transition from snow to freezing rain to temperate West Coast rain will also be tricky, as contractors will have to monitor weather conditions and switch from plowing snow and laying down salt to deploying vehicles with ice blades to cut through icy accumulations.

He warned the ministry could close highways on short notice if it finds the roads are too hazardous for travel.

“I cannot understate the significance of the incoming weather front,” he said. “Rarely do we see such heavy snow followed by freezing rain and heavy rainfall.”

Officials urged drivers who have to be on the road to be prepared for winter travel, including having winter tires, being fully fuelled or charged, and having appropriate clothing and extra food and medications in case they get stuck or delayed. Drivers are also asked to drive according to road conditions, and to refrain from passing maintenance equipment.

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Read the full story here.

YVR warns travellers of more delays, cancellations

Vancouver International Airport is still digging itself out of travel chaos, but could see more significant weather-related delays as a snow and ice storm is expected to pummel the region days before Christmas.

The storm, which could dump 20 to 30 cm of snow over a 12-hour period, will arrive Thursday night. On Friday, that snow is expected to turn into freezing rain.

YVR CEO Tamara Vrooman said the airport is prepared for the coming storm.

“We’ve been able to address the conditions that led to the congestion on the airfield (from the previous storm), and make sure that those are addressed and are ready,” she told reporters on Thursday. “There is significant snow as well as freezing rain in the forecast and we are prepared and I am confident in our preparations.”

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Despite the advance measures, YVR still warned travellers it won’t be smooth sailing: “Passengers should expect delays and cancellations as a result of the incoming weather system,” it said in a statement. “We are actively working with airline partners to provide a clear picture of the schedule for the next 24 hours.

Monday’s snowstorm, which led to an unprecedented number of cancellations, affected many travellers, many of whom had to stay overnight at the airport or are struggling to rebook cancelled flights and hotels during the busy holiday travel rush.

Aubrey Lim-Cui, husband Edward Cui and their daughter Sofia were supposed to be flying to Vancouver to see family for Christmas, but are now resigned to spending the holidays away from them.

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“We were probably delayed eight times throughout the day,” said Lim-Cui of their flight from Edmonton on Wednesday. When they finally got the go-ahead from Air Canada, they rushed to the airport, only to learn a couple hours later that the flight was cancelled, too.

“It’s very frustrating. Sofia cried. She was looking forward to it. It’s a yearly tradition. We’re always there for Christmas. It’s where our family is.”

Air Canada had emailed them to say flights will be available again after Dec. 26, but that’s no help. “We have to arrange hotels, car rentals, it’s going to be too expensive if we do that now,” she said.

On Thursday, the situation at the airport had improved with planes steadily taking off and landing. YVR was functioning “reasonably well,” said Vrooman, with about 100 cancelled flights out of 660. “The vast majority of flights have been departing on schedule, sometimes with short 15- to 20-minute delays, but have been departing.”

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Vrooman said the airport had adjusted its gating policies to avoid passengers remaining aboard planes for hours — “unacceptable” incidents that had sparked numerous and furious complaints from passengers who had to wait to deplane for up to eight hours.

The airport’s snow removal and de-icing practices worked well, noted Vrooman, but the amount of snow and cold temperatures meant aircraft had to repeatedly de-ice, which led to the congestion and unprecedented lineups at the airport.

The airport is still prioritizing departures to try to clear the backup. A temporary measure limiting the arrival of some 30 international flights since Wednesday remained in place until 5 a.m. Friday.

In a release late Thursday, YVR noted that since the snowstorm:

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• 115 flights out of 666 flights to and from YVR were cancelled.
• An average of 28 aircraft are being de-iced per hour.
• 5,000 water bottles, 5,000 snacks, including apples and oranges, and thousands of blankets and hand warmers have been distributed to passengers in the terminal since Dec. 20.

Read the full story here.

B.C. Ferries warn of ‘strong possibility’ of cancelled sailings

Travellers planning to take B.C. Ferries in the next couple days should be prepared for potential cancellations and delays.

B.C. Ferries has issued a travel advisory due to the winter storm, warning of the strong possibility of sailing cancellations on different routes for the south coast.

“Poor road conditions leading to the terminals as well as high winds are expected to impact operations,” it said Thursday.

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The company will automatically issue refunds for customers with bookings if a sailing is cancelled. Travellers can also cancel bookings ahead of sailings that many not happen.

B.C. south coast braces for another winter storm

With most of B.C.’s south coast still buried under several centimetres of snow from Tuesday’s storm, another winter storm heading towards the region is expected to dump another 20 cm of snow by Christmas Eve.

Environment Canada has issued a winter storm watch for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Whistler, Howe Sound, the Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island starting Thursday.

This second round of snow is expected to start Thursday night, changing over to rain late Friday on Vancouver Island and Friday night or Saturday morning in Metro Vancouver. Freezing rain is possible as the cold Arctic air mass over the province starts to dissipate.

“The exact precipitation amounts and timing of the changeover to rain remain uncertain at this point, but there is a good consensus that the combination of impactful weather will begin early Friday,” said Environment Canada in an advisory issued Wednesday afternoon.

The weather agency warned heavy snow could make travel difficult over some locations. Blowing snow is also possible due to strong easterly winds, which would cause near-zero visibility.

Drivers advised to avoid travel Friday except in emergencies

Mainroad Contracting is warning people not to drive Friday except in an emergency.

The storm is expected to bring heavy snowfall then freezing rain, making travel “treacherous” and likely forcing highway closures due to the icy conditions.

Once the temperature rises and the precipitation switches to rain, “there will be an extreme risk for flooding, with the piled snow impeding drainage channels,” says Mainroad. Potholes are also likely to develop as the road base changes temperature quickly.

Drivers are advised to check with Drive B.C. for updates on road conditions before any travel.

B.C. Hydro anticipating significant damage to system

B.C. Hydro says it is “preparing for the possibility of significant damage to its system over the next few days, especially on the south coast.”

The Crown corporation is monitoring the weather closely and getting ready to restore power as fast as possible if the lights go out. “While snow is expected, the freezing rain in the forecast — especially for parts of the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island — has the most potential to cause problems for the electrical system,” says Hydro spokesperson Susie Rieder in a statement released Thursday.

Rieder explains ice can build up on trees and branches and can cause them to get brittle and heavy and to fall on power lines and electrical equipment.

All available Hydro workers, contractors, vegetation management crews and support staff are on standby, says Rieder. But she warned challenging driving conditions could make for slow going at some points during the storm.

Extreme cold sparks another hydro use record

B.C. Hydro says peak hourly electricity demand has hit another record.

The deep freeze across the province had customers consuming 10,900 megawatts of electricity from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, the second time this week a new record was set.

“The extreme cold has British Columbians turning up the heat and as a result we are experiencing record-breaking electricity demand,” says B.C. Hydro spokesperson Susie Rieder. “Last night’s consumption was more than 15 per cent higher than the peak hourly demand recorded last Wednesday before the cold snap began.”

Before this week, the all-time consumption record was set in December 2021 at 10,762 megawatts. On Monday it was broken with 0,800 megawatts of electricity consumed.

Capacity, though, is not an issue. Rieder credits B.C. Hydro’s “large, integrated hydroelectric system” for being able to keep up with demand.

Archive: Full coverage of this week’s earlier snowstorm

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