PHOTOS: Hefty snow unleashed on B.C. South Coast, travel hindered
Widespread heavy snow and powerful winds have taken a hefty toll on travel and power lines across the South Coast of B.C.
The first major snowfall of the season arrived in full force for British Columbia's Lower Mainland this week.
A low-pressure system interacting with an Arctic outflow was the cause for multiple winter storm and snowfall warnings that were issued across the South Coast on Tuesday. By the early morning hours on Wednesday, between 10-20 cm had been reported across the Lower Mainland, with multiple reports of 15 to 25 cm for eastern Vancouver Island.
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Thousands of customers have been left without power after the snow and winds, weighing down trees and ultimately taking out hydro poles. As of Wednesday evening, BC Hydro crews had restored power to 95 per cent of the 93,000 customers left in the dark.
"All available crews are continuing to work on necessary repairs to restore remaining customers as quickly as possible," BC Hydro said in a tweet.
Strong winds resulted in BC Ferries announcing a number of sailing cancellations Tuesday afternoon, as well.
The system greatly impacted driving conditions, with motorists urged to expect delays or consider alternate routes. At one point, travel advisories were in effect for many of the province's highways. Winter storm warnings were also issued for highway routes including the Sea to Sky, the Coquihalla and the Okanagan Connector, with strong winds and heavy snow creating near-zero visibility at times. The Alex Fraser Bridge was closed in both directions for several hours on Tuesday evening, as well.
WATCH: B.C. resident shows highway at a standstill after snowstorm
While the event is winding down for most, more snow is forecast Friday into Saturday morning. However, accumulations will be minimal in comparison to this most recent blast.
Here's a closer look at the impacts from this first major snowstorm across southern B.C.:
Thumbnail image courtesy: Adam Sobkow, taken in Langford, B.C.
