Photos: Heavy snow hits Western Canada, closes schools and cuts power
Chilly temperatures, messy commutes, and snow accumulation: this storm has it all.
Snow hit parts of B.C. and Alberta Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing significant accumulation, air and road delays, several school closures and expansive power outages.
A front from northern B.C. tracked into Alberta Tuesday, hitting Edmonton and continuing south.
In Alberta, Calgary residents woke up to a messy morning commute Wednesday, with 5 cm of snow on the ground by 5 a.m.
RELATED: Flights cancelled, delayed at Vancouver airport due to heavy snowfall
That's following an extended stretch of cold weather in the province.
Meanwhile, in B.C., Wednesday's snowfall totals varied greatly, depending on the location.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) reported 25 cm of snowfall by Wednesday afternoon, making it the second-snowiest January day on record, and the snowiest since Dec. 24, 2008.
Higher totals were found inland from YVR airport, where 25 cm fell in North Delta, 31 cm in Port Coquitlam, and 29 cm was reported in Surrey.
Farther into the Fraser Valley, 29 cm of snowfall fell in Abbotsford, as well, making it the fifth-snowiest January day on record for the city.
Vancouver Island wasn’t spared as well, where about 10 cm of snow fell in the Comox Valley, and more 20 cm of snowfall reports streaming in from the Nanaimo and Duncan areas. The 19 cm of snowfall reported at Victoria International Airport make it the 10th-snowiest January day on record.
As a result of the heavy snow, thousands are in the dark in B.C. At one point, more than 20,000 customers were without electricity during the storm, according to BC Hydro. The numbers may continue to fluctuate.
More snow is expected in B.C. between Thursday and Friday, along with the threat for freezing rain, primarily for coastal communities and areas into the Fraser Valley.
Here's a look at the storm so far, in photos and videos:
As of 8 am PST, Vancouver airport was reporting 12 cm of snow. (Photo: Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 17, 2024. Credit: Mia Gordon/The Weather Network)
Snowfall seen in Vancouver, B.C. Wednesday morning. (Photo: Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 17, 2024. Credit: Mia Gordon/The Weather Network)
Snowfall seen in Vancouver, B.C. pre-dawn Wednesday morning. (Photo: Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 17, 2024. Credit: Mia Gordon/The Weather Network)
Snowfall seen in Vancouver, B.C. pre-dawn Wednesday morning. (Photo: Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 17, 2024. Credit: Mia Gordon/The Weather Network)
Snowfall seen in Vancouver, B.C. Wednesday morning. (Photo: Vancouver, B.C., Jan. 17, 2024. Credit: Mia Gordon/The Weather Network)
Snowfall began filling Calgary's skyline on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024. (Photo: Connor O'Donovan/The Weather Network)
Snow began falling on Tuesday in Calgary. (Photo: Connor O'Donovan/The Weather Network)
Thumbnail courtesy of Mike Hanafin/X.
