Back in Fall, the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicted that Canada was headed for a record-breaking cold winter and would see a plethora of storms.
However, it specifically pointed out that B.C.’s winter would start off mild and slowly progress into a season of intense cold. It appears the forecast was accurate, but the timeline has been escalated.
Less than two weeks into the Winter season, B.C. has shattered temperature records dating back 88 years, and continues to experience a cold snap. Temperatures in Vancouver also fell to a 52-year low.
A separate forecast by the Weather Network echoed the Old Farmer’s Almanac, and warned BC should expect significant snowfall in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, Victoria, and the Okanagan Valley.
As it turns out, we woke up to a white Christmas, the first in over a decade.
Since then, we’ve received snow on a couple more occasions, with more in the forecast ahead.
Arctic outflow continues to funnel cold air down into southern B.C., which is then prevented from escaping.
It’s been so cold in the lower mainland that people are literally skating on frozen ponds in Surrey, and playing hockey on frozen lakes in North Vancouver.
Meanwhile in Richmond, the water fountain waterfall outside the city’s popular casino has also frozen over. Chunks have ice have also been spotted floating down the Fraser River.
Looking ahead, January and February are said to bring higher coastal rains and mountain snow is expected to pile up as a result. In fact, ample mountain snow is expected well into March, making for a nice long ski season.
In the short run, extreme cold is forecasted to continue dominating parts of B.C until the start of 2022.
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