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Icy snap tempts B.C. pond skaters, promises up to 20 cm snow inland

More snow is expected over the next two days with warnings of up to 20 centimetres for parts of the Central Coast.

'Cold arctic air will continue to filter out of the B.C. Interior toward the coast,' says Environment Canada

Yvette Brend · CBC News ·
Skaters and strollers braved the ice at Trout Lake in Vancouver today, despite clear warnings of 'Thin Ice: Keep off'. (Deb Goble/CBC)

B.C. it's cold outside!

More snow is expected over the next two days with warnings of up to 20 centimetres for parts of the Central Coast.

It's expected to fall fast and furious making travel difficult as Christmas approaches.

"Cold arctic air will continue to filter out of the B.C. Interior towards the coast through the weekend ... and bring heavy snow to the region through Sunday," said a recent alert from Environment Canada.

Snowfall, with total amounts of 10 to 15 centimetres, is expected along much of the south West Coast and inland areas.

There is an extreme cold warning in effect for Yoho and Kootenay National Parks.

Brisk 20 to 50 kilometre-per-hour winds are expected to increase wind chill values up to –35 degrees Celsius.

Anybody spending a lot of time outdoors is warned to dress warmly to prevent hypothermia.

Homeless advocates all over B.C. urged officials to provide more help, from blankets to warming shelters, for people bedding down on the street.

And cold temperatures have frozen ponds and lakes near Vancouver that have not seen skaters in years.

In Vancouver, early morning pond hockey players braved Trout Lake despite clear signage that warned: "Thin Ice: Keep off."

But the lows of –9 C seen in Victoria and Vancouver — where deep freeze temperatures are not the norm — have risen slightly, only expected to dip to –3 overnight.

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