Up to 39 cm of snow reported as winter storm blows through southwestern B.C.

Residents of Vancouver Island warned to brace for another storm on Thursday. Much of southern B.C. lay under a thick blanket of snow on Wednesday evening after a winter storm blew through the province. As of 4 p.m. PT, 28 centimetres of snow had fallen at Vancouver International Airport, and volunteer weather watchers were reporting more than 30 centimetres in some parts of the Lower Mainland, reaching a maximum of 39 centimetres in Chilliwack, according to Environment Canada.
Though the snow had tapered off in Metro Vancouver by evening, the University of British Columbia,
Simon Fraser University, BCIT and Capilano University all announced that in-person classes would be cancelled for a second day in a row on Thursday. On Vancouver Island, where up to 21 centimetres of snow was reported in some areas, Environment Canada has issued a new round of weather warnings about another storm forecast to hit the region beginning on Thursday afternoon.
Another 10 to 20 centimetres of snow could fall on the eastern side of the island by Friday afternoon, while
inland areas may see strong winds and prolonged periods of freezing rain. As the snow dissipated in Metro Vancouver ahead of the afternoon commute, public transit users were warned to expect delays. TransLink said its 18-metre articulated buses were being swapped out for 12-metre vehicles that are more agile in the snow, which means less space for passengers on some major routes. The SkyTrain is running less frequently, and some bus routes in the Tri-Cities have been cancelled until conditions improve.
“It’s really all hands on deck today,” said TransLink spokesperson Tina Lovgreen about efforts being made to get people to their destinations.
All school districts in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley announced early Wednesday that schools would not open.
The Greater Victoria and Sooke school districts, however, said all their schools would open on Wednesday. Classes were cancelled across the rest of southern Vancouver Island, and across the Sunshine Coast. Parents in other areas of the province were encouraged to check the website of their school or district for closures.
Most post-secondary institutions, including the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University, also cancelled on-campus classes as snowfall accumulated in the second winter storm of 2024. Around noon, B.C. Hydro reported more than 20,000 customers without power across the South Coast, mostly on Vancouver Island. Many were caused by heavy snow or trees falling on wires. Canada Post suspended mail delivery for the day in Metro Vancouver due to conditions. In Vancouver, an extreme weather alert issued by the city will remain in effect until Thursday, and additional shelter spaces and warming centres have been opened.