03/02/2025
Winter storm watch issued for: East Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria and Southern Gulf Island
Current details:
Potential for snowsqualls producing locally heavy snow
What:
Snowsqualls giving up to 20 cm of snow.
Hazard:
- Sudden reduction in visibility in heavy snow over short distances
- Changing road conditions due to heavy snowfall rates
When:
Monday and then late Monday night to Tuesday night.
Where:
East Vancouver Island, Southern Gulf Islands, Malahat Highway, Greater Victoria.
Additional information:
Two rounds of heavy snow are possible for Vancouver Island under the influence of a cold low and arctic outflow winds. The first will occur near midday Monday to late Monday afternoon as northwest winds and southeast winds collide over the Strait of Georgia. These bands of snow will have the opportunity to move onshore onto the east side of Vancouver Island from near Comox to Mill Bay. While the snow will becoming light in Nanaimo, Duncan and the Saanich Peninsula Monday afternoon, snowsqualls will continue to fall between Qualicum Beach and F***y Bay through Monday.
The second round of heavy snow will come in the form of sea-effect snow due to outflow winds crossing the southern Strait of Georgia beginning Monday overnight or Tuesday morning and lasting through to Tuesday night. This second scenario will concentrate the heavy snow between Nanaimo and Victoria, as well as parts of the Southern Gulf Islands.
Snowfall accumulation will be highly variable depending on the length of time a heavy band of snow remains over an area. There is also uncertainty as to the strength of the outflow winds which will have an effect on the total snowfall accumulation for the second round of snow. Warnings will be issued closer to the event.
