Arctic chill freezing much of B.C., with more snow forecast for southwest

Residents of coastal British Columbia continue to face winterconditions and frigid temperatures as the latest weather system brushes across the province.

Snowfall warnings have been posted for eastern and inland Vancouver Island, as well as the Malahat Highway (Goldstream to Mill Bay), with between five and25 centimetres of snow expected to fallbefore the storm eases Saturday.

A high-pressure system over theB.C.Interior continuedto push icy air out to the coast, prompting Arctic outflow warnings for the north and central coasts,as wind chill values could make it feel as cold as -20 C.

Wind warnings are in place for Greater Victoria and Howe Sound as gusts of up to 90 km/h are forecast.

Special weatherstatements cover the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Sunshine Coast, southern Gulf Islands and Metro Vancouver. A dusting of snow, no more than five centimetres, is expected in those regions, but Environment Canada predicts"significantly less"impact than Tuesday night's storm, which caused chaos for commuters in some parts of Metro Vancouver.

Peace River residents in northeasternB.C.,were still shivering through an extreme cold warning that also covered Yoho and Kootenay parks in the southeast and most of Alberta, but theweatheroffice saidwind chill values of -40 C early in the day were expected to ease to about -27 C by Saturday.

Thousands of people living on Gabriola Island, east of Nanaimo, were still withoutfullphone, internetortelevision service on Friday afterTuesday's stormsevered a vital communication line. Access to 911 has also been affected.

In a statement Friday, Telussaid repair work is ongoing but there is no estimate as to whenit might be completed.

WATCH | Summer, winter, M+S: What you need to know about tires in B.C.:

What you need to know about tires in B.C.

5 years ago

Duration 3:20

Chaos reigns on the roads whenever snow hits the Lower Mainland. This is what you need to know about your tires.

British Columbia's auto insurer, ICBC, has said the number of accident claims made on Tuesdaywas nearly double that of the same day the week before.

The company said 3,567 claims were made on Tuesday as vehicles spun out, wound up in ditches or simply crashed into each other amid a day of traffic gridlock and slippery streets, particularly in Metro Vancouver.

"If you don't have to drive in poor conditions, that is the safer choice," read a statement.

"Take public transit if it's an option in your area. Call a taxi or ride-hailing service. Work from home if you're able to."

The blast ofwintry weather also left tens of thousands of people on Vancouver Island without power,many overnight.

WATCH | Travel chaos as snow blankets B.C.'s South Coast:

Snow brings travel chaos, power outages to B.C.s southern coast

2 years ago

Duration 2:33

The first major snowfall of the season created a nightmare travel scenario in B.C.'s Lower Mainland, with crashes and gridlock leaving some drivers stuck on the road for hours. Meanwhile, the storm took out power to tens of thousands across the region.

Preliminary snowfall totals ranged from five centimetres in coastal areas to more than 20 centimetres on parts of Vancouver Island, according to the weather agency.Wind speeds ranged from 70 to100 km/h.