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Environment Canada says 鶹ýӳhas ‘best chance’ for snow this week

‘We have all of the necessary ingredients for snow this week’
"So far, this is the best chance we've seen for snowfall at sea level," says meteorologist Matt MacD
"So far, this is the best chance we've seen for snowfall at sea level," says meteorologist Matt MacDonald. "We have all of the necessary ingredients for snow this week." File photo Dan Toulgoet

While the 鶹ýӳweather forecast is calling for a chance of snow later this week, not everyone is convinced it will happen.

The forecast has called for a chance of snowfall numerous times over the fall and early winter, but there hasn't been any accumulations of snow in the city. While there has been some minor accumulations onhigher terrain, areas at sea level have only seen wet snow.

Starting Monday, Jan. 6, the forecast calls for a great deal of rainfall throughout the day, and Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for Coastal British Columbia, noting that some areas could receive up to 90 mm of rain by Tuesday. However, the rainfall is expected to dissipate by Wednesday evening, and Friday's forecast includes a chance of snow at night.

鶹ýӳ spoke to Matt MacDonald, a meteorologist at Environment Canada, about the likelihoodthat 鶹ýӳwill see snowfall this week.

"So far, this is the best chance we've seen for snowfall at sea level," MacDonald said. "We have all of the necessary ingredients for snow this week."

MacDonald adds that a north westerly flow is expected to bring cold airinto the region towards the end of theweek, with temperatures dipping below freezing Wednesday night. He notes that the weekend will be markedly cooler, which will increasethechance thatsnowfall will accumulate.

"We haven't hit true arctic air yet this year — most of the flow patterns have been south westerly, which hasn't allowed for these very cold temperatures."

MacDonald says the snowfallis still a few days away in the forecast, however, and therefore things could still change in the days leading up. With this in mind, he says it’s a good idea to be prepared for snowy conditions and to continue to monitor the forecast.

B.C. Winter Forecast

Environment Canada
Environment Canada

Back in September, the Weather Network predicted that British Columbiawould have a milder winter, but that December was a “wild card.”

Since then,the winter forecast has been updatedto include the most recent prediction, which calls for milder temperatures along the B.C. coast and across much of Northern B.C. While northeastern B.C. to the southern interior will see near normal temperatures.

While the north coast region is “expected to see above average rainfall and alpine snow,” the south coast region is expected to be drier than normal. With this in mind, the forecast adds that this dry pattern may break at times during the season. During these breaks, the Lower Mainland could have the “potential to see several weeks’ worth of precipitation in just five to 10 days.”

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