Snow causes school closings, slick roads, power outages on Vancouver Island

Heavier than expected snowfall closed roads and schools and interrupted power for more than 43,000 BC Hydro customers on Vancouver Island Tuesday.

By early afternoon, 28,000 people were still out of power. 

"We hope to get most people on tonight. Unfortunately, there may be some areas that may not see their power restored [by then], the more remote areas," said Ted Olynyk, manager of community relations with BC Hydro.

Crews are still assessing the damage to areas like Salt Spring Island and the Gulf Islands, he said.  

Environment Canada had lifted the snowfall warning for Vancouver Island by mid-afternoon. 

Highway 14 was reopened after a morning shutdown at Kangaroo Road caused by downed power lines, but DriveBC advised snow and slippery sections remained on the road from Sooke as of Tuesday afternoon.

Highway 1 near the Malahat summit, Highway 4 and 4A, Highway 19 and 19A were also described as snowy or slushy with slippery sections.

Two dozen trucks had been out clearing roads since about 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, said Norm Parkes, the executive director of highway operations for the Ministry of Transportation.

He urged drivers to be cautious of black ice and refreezing as the sun goes down and temperatures cool. 

"If you don't have good tires, don't go out on the roads," he said. ​

Armel Castellan, Environment Canada meteorologist, said heavier than expected total snow accumulations prompted the weather service to boost the Vancouver Island snowfall forecast to a total of 20 to 25 cm by this evening for higher elevations on east Vancouver Island.

"It's already a mess," Castellan told On the Island's Khalil Akhtar in the morning. 

Castellan said areas near sea are expected to experience rain rather than snow, until Thursday. 

"It's going to be one of those cases where elevation's a key variable," Castellan said. "Fifty metres up from sea level …can make the difference between snow and rain."

He said temperatures are forecast to drop slightly through Tuesday, then fluctuate just above and below freezing until Thursday.

On Thursday "a large-scale omega block" is expected to bring clear skies and even lower temperatures through Dec. 25, Castellan said.

Blocks in meteorology are large-scale patterns in the atmospheric pressure field that are nearly stationary.

'White Christmas' likely

He said a phenomenon known as the "lake effect" or "sea effect" is expected to occur, with strong easterly winds picking up moisture over Georgia Strait and dumping it in the form of snow on locations near the water.

Meanwhile, people hoping for the traditional white Christmas could be in luck.

"Anybody who has snow now and certainly this afternoon has a very high chance of seeing a white Christmas by the 25th," Castellan said.

With files from On The Island, All Points West and Deborah Wilson.