Melting snow, rain leave Metro Vancouver streets flooded

Mother Nature isn't letting up on B.C.'s south coast just yet. Heavy rain Friday night and Saturday morning, combined with melting snow, left streets flooded throughout Metro Vancouver.

Drivers were being warned about large puddles around Metro Vancouver as well as in areas of Port Moody, Port Coquitlam and Coquitlam.

City crews throughout the region were hard at work Saturday morning trying to clear the storm drains of snow in order to let the water through.

Jason Moore, one of 60 city workers in Vancouver on the go Saturday morning, said the drains could be tricky to find under the snow.

"You almost have to know where you're going," Moore said. "It's lucky we have sort of an idea where most of the drains are so we can find them a little easier. We probe down with a metal crowbar so we can actually find where the hole is."

Expect TransLink delays: spokesperson

Meanwhile, TransLink, which operates public transit for the south coast of B.C., said temperatures weren't warming as quickly as forecast, which caused some roads to re-freeze and created service delays in some areas.

Public transit riders in Metro Vancouver should expect delays Saturday, said TransLink spokesperson Ken Hardie, and should allow extra time to get to their destinations.

"It's been almost a full week that we've been in this snow mode and [bus drivers have] been going flat out and it's taking a human toll," Hardie said. "So just remember that and be patient and courteous to others on board and toward SkyTrain attendants and bus drivers because they're doing the best they can under most unusual circumstances."

Travel at Vancouver International Airport improved significantly Saturday after a week of delays and cancellations.

Most flights were running as scheduled, with just a few cancellations by regional carriers to Victoria, Calgary and Edmonton.

Meanwhile, residents were urged Saturday to clear snow from patios and rooftops after roofs and awnings on some businesses collapsed,

Avalanche warning for south coast

The Canadian Avalanche Association issued a public avalanche warning to recreational backcountry users along the south coast of B.C. effective untilMonday.

The warning applies to backcountry areas of the South Coast Mountains from north of Pemberton to the U.S. border and west of Lillooet and the Coquihalla Pass to the Pacific Coast. It also includes backcountry areas of the North Shore Mountains from Horseshoe Bay to Indian Arm.

Thousands left without power

The extreme winter weather conditions also wreaked havoc on the BC Hydro system throughout the south coast.

More than 12,000 customers were without power in areasin and around Vancouver and on the Sunshine Coast Saturday morning.

On Vancouver Island 1,000 people were without power and another 600 customers in the Okanagan-Kootenay region lost power as well.

BC Hydro estimated most customers would have power restored throughout the day Saturday.

Meanwhile, the forecast called for freezing rain in the Fraser Valley, and rain and heavy winds in Vancouver and Victoria.

In the Kootenays and in the Queen Charlotte Islands, Environment Canada issued snowfall warnings with fiveto 10 centimetres of snowfall expected Saturday.