Due to snow and freezing temperatures this weekend, the City of Vancouver is opening additional indoor spaces for people experiencing homelessness.
On Friday, Jan. 22, Environment Canada calls for temperatures to dip down to an overnight low of -3°C. However, the forecast also calls for winds up to 15 km/h, and temperatures will feel more like a frigid -7°C with the wind chill.
Saturday is expected to be bright and sunny during the day, but the morning is also expected to feel like minus -7°C with the wind chill. At night, the forecast calls for rain or snow.
Heading into Sunday, the city is expected to see rain or snow during the day and a 60 per cent chance of rain showers or flurries at night, which is expected to continue into Monday. In fact, this pattern of rain showers or flurries is expected to continue into next week until at least Thursday.
Warming centres across Vancouver
Due to the frigid winter weather, the City of Vancouver is opening warming centres from Jan. 22 to Jan. 27. Warming centres are activated as a life-saving measure for people sleeping outside during the colder winter months.
Warming centres will be open at the following locations:
- Powell Street Getaway – 528 Powell St – 9 p.m. – 7 a.m.
- Vancouver Aquatic Centre – 1050 Beach Ave – 10 p.m. – 7 a.m.
- Creekside Community Centre - 1 Athletes Way – 10 p.m. – 7 a.m.
The City encourages anyone who is sleeping outside to visit one of these centres which are open to all, including people who have pets and carts, and will provide hot drinks and snacks. This year, measures are in place at warming centres to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and all sites have reduced capacity to support physical distancing requirements.
Warming centres are activated when the temperature reaches -5°C or below (or when it feels like -5°C or below). These sites are in addition to Extreme Weather Response shelters, which have opened throughout the winter season when the temperature is 0 degrees or feels like 0. These additional shelter spaces are opened in partnership with BC Housing and have been activated for 59 nights so far this winter.
More information on the City’s winter response is available here.
Vancouver prepares for extreme weather
City crews are monitoring the weather and a coordinated response plan is underway. Key routes including major roads, bus routes, bridges and the 15 most-used pathways and bike routes are currently being treated with brine ahead of potential snow and ice.
With over 100 vehicles, 3,000 tonnes of guaranteed salt supply, and hundreds of staff available to deploy as required, crews will remain focused on treating priority routes for ice and snow.
This year, to help Vancouver's essential workers clear the roads on snowy days the city is asking residents to only undertake essential travel on the roads and bike routes. If you do need to be on the roads, travel with caution and please give way to, or stay at a safe distance when following a salt and plow truck. If your vehicle is parked on a major route, please plan ahead by moving it to a side street or garage.
As always, residents and business owners can play a big role in ensuring snow doesn’t become hazardous for people with mobility challenges. It’s important that snow is cleared promptly from walkways and sidewalks before it hardens to ice.
All property owners and occupants must clear snow and ice from sidewalks around their property by 10 a.m. the morning after a snowfall, seven days a week.
If you are unable to clear your walk and have no other alternatives, you are encouraged to sign up for the Snow Angel Program to be connected to a volunteer. The Snow Angel program helps match volunteers with seniors and people with mobility issues to help clear their sidewalks.
Metro Vancouver Weather Forecast
While Vancouverites have enjoyed a relatively mild winter so far, Environment Canada cautions that we aren't out of the woods yet.
In a recent interview, Environment Canada Meteorologist Doug Lundquist told Vancouver Is Awesome that "It's halfway through winter--so we have another half to go through.
"And we can get snow--definitely in the latter part of January, February and sometimes March."
Lundquist stresses that snow events are far less likely heading into spring, but they can't be ruled out entirely. That said, he notes that the La Niña pattern is still affecting weather in the region, which could mean temperatures will dip a bit below average.
