There’s really nowhere to be in Greater Victoria Friday (Dec. 23) morning after many organizations preemptively announced closures and suspended services Thursday evening after the province asked folks on B.C.’s south coast to stay home the next few days.
Heavy snow, freezing rain and potential flooding are in the forecast now through Dec. 24.
With snow covering the Malahat and freezing rain falling, Emcon – the contractor responsible for maintaining the stretch of Highway 1 – reiterated the message Friday morning.
Heavy snowfall over night buried the area, Emcon reported around 5 a.m. noting it was -3 C with freezing rain starting. Overnight, the Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement monitored the Malahat to ensure commercial vehicles were safety compliant including carrying chains.
Meanwhile, up Island, DriveBC is reporting Highway 4 is closed between the Taylor River rest area and the Tofino-Ucluelet Highway due to downed trees and hydro lines.
RELATED: B.C. warns against travel as south coast preps for onslaught of snow, freezing rain
Matt McDonald, lead forecaster with BC Wildfire Service tweeted out an explanation of the freezing rain falling over much of the south coast of B.C. Friday.
Here’s a great infographic explaining how freezing rain (fzra) occurs. When warm air overrides cold air, rain from the warm air mass aloft falls into sub-freezing air & frozen surfaces below. The rain immediately freezes on impact creating an instantaneous sheet of ice. #BCstorm pic.twitter.com/nsROgaioFr
— Matt MacDonald (@meteo_matt) December 23, 2022
BC Ferries cancelled all the first round trips Friday morning between Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland with the first two round trips cancelled for each of the smaller Islands, including the Mill Bay/Brentwood Bay ferry.
The first four ferries between Tsawwassen and Swartz Bay were cancelled due to weather. While the 11 a.m. was scheduled to run, the noon and 2 p.m. ferries were cancelled as of 10 a.m.
Find updates at bcferries.com/current-conditions.
BC Transit suspended all morning service then extended that to 1:30 p.m. on mid-morning Friday.
Camosun College closed its campus, and cancelled all classes and service Friday, Dec. 23. The college is expected to reopen Jan. 3.
Saanich closed all recreation facilities Dec.23 including Cedar Hill Golf Course. Closure notifications and additional information will be posted online at saanich.ca.
The Greater Victoria Harbour Authority closed Victoria’s breakwater to walkers earlier in the week and it remains closed until further notice.
Due to continued low temperatures the City of Victoria plans to open an overnight warming centre again on Dec. 23 at St. John the Divine Church, 1611 Quadra St.
For the fourth consecutive day, curbside recycling in the region was cancelled. Residents are urged to hold on to recyleable materials and put them out for the next scheduled pickup.
Heavy snowfall over night has buried South #VanIsle again. It's still -3°C out here and starting to mix in some freezing rain.
— Emcon Services Inc. - South Island Division (@EmconSouthVI) December 23, 2022
Recommend staying at home if you can, just until this storm passes and we get things cleaned up.#Malahat #BCSnow #BCStorm @DriveBC #yyjtraffic pic.twitter.com/EZWQOOciS5
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroom@oakbaynews.com.
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.