All public schools in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are shut for a second day, with more winter weather expected a day after a snowstorm caused havoc in southern British Columbia.
Alert: All VSB schools are closed today due to weather conditions. Check back here for updates. pic.twitter.com/Nqikeofyje
— Vancouver School Board (@VSB39) January 18, 2024
All schools and sites in our district are closed today (Thursday, Jan. 18) due to poor weather conditions. Bus service is also cancelled. Stay safe & warm everyone!#sd36learn #SurreyBC #WhiteRockBC #bced pic.twitter.com/2KVkqrgGgr
— Surrey Schools (@Surrey_Schools) January 18, 2024
Post-secondary institutions in the region such as the University of B.C., Simon Fraser University, the B.C. Institute of Technology and Kwantlen Polytechnic University have also cancelled all in-person classes again.
Due to winter conditions across the Lower Mainland, all BCIT campuses will be CLOSED on January 18. All in-person classes and exams are cancelled. If your class or work is available online, this closure does not impact you.
— British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) (@bcit) January 18, 2024
For updates, please view https://t.co/JGNIme7GoB pic.twitter.com/B6FkOiQYeT
All in-person classes and in-person services at KPU are cancelled today (January 18) due to the weather. Online classes and services continue. Visit https://t.co/1mNAUvHraI for more info. pic.twitter.com/DxXxnN9xyC
— KwantlenU (@KwantlenU) January 18, 2024
ALERT - In-person campus activities for all three SFU campuses are cancelled for January 18, 2024, due to forecasted weather and road conditions. Buildings will remain open on all SFU campuses, but all classes, labs, university services and campus activities will be cancelled.… pic.twitter.com/bWayD6JVjq
— Simon Fraser University (@SFU) January 18, 2024
The shutdowns come after Environment Canada recorded 28 centimetres of snow at Vancouver International Airport Wednesday, the most in one day since 1996.
We are expecting winter weather to continue today. Crews at YVR have been working around the clock to keep our airfield clear of snow and ice. Please check the status of your flight before coming to the airport and give yourself plenty of time to get here safely. pic.twitter.com/lld4ZhZRQC
— YVR (@yvrairport) January 18, 2024
Vancouver International Airport says around 20 outbound flights have been cancelled today and flight schedules could continue to be affected.
Volunteers reporting to the agency recorded as much as 30 centimetres in Burnaby, 31 centimetres in Port Coquitlam and 39 centimetres in Chilliwack.
Environment Canada says more significant snowfall and a prolonged period of freezing rain are on the way for parts of Metro Vancouver and the valley including Langley, Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope.
The City continues to be in full-scale response with all available crews out since Tuesday night plowing and salting all priority routes, which includes around schools and care facilities.
— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) January 18, 2024
1/5 pic.twitter.com/pBBN2WE6VY
With heavy snow overnight, City crews have been working around the clock, focused on clearing Priority 1 routes ahead of this morning's commute.
— Office of the Mayor (@SurreyMayor) January 17, 2024
Crews will continue to focus on Priority 1 routes as they provide a clear route for fire trucks, ambulances, and the majority of the… pic.twitter.com/2ip8TsMVud
The agency says snowfall in southeastern B.C. is expected to taper off near noon, with 10 to 20 centimetres of snow forecast in parts of Vancouver Island before the snow turns to freezing rain.
Environment Canada has lifted its snowfall warning for Metro Vancouver and the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt.
BC Hydro says thousands were without power in various parts of southwestern B.C. early Thursday, but only around 600 customers on the Gulf Islands and a handful elsewhere were without electricity by 9 a.m.
Crews have been assigned to an outage affecting 1,193 customers in #Coquitlam. Updates here: https://t.co/RtjxcnCE6L pic.twitter.com/qtLC7b9QUW
— BC Hydro (@bchydro) January 18, 2024
Good morning folks! We have opened the desk (X) early again this morning to answer your questions & help with your commute. We will update you the best we can with the situation out there today. Please dress warmly, we still have minus degree temperatures out there today 🥶❄ ^CK pic.twitter.com/JF6oZS6kkl
— TransLink BC (@TransLink) January 18, 2024
Extreme cold warnings remain in effect in the Prairies, with wind chill values around -40 expected in parts of northern Alberta, southern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba.
And on the East Coast, parts of Newfoundland will be hit with between 20 and 50 centimetres of snow, while wind gusts nearing 100 kilometres per hour are expected to blow through the northwestern area of the island.
