While adults were hefting snow shovels, kids across the North Shore enjoyed a rare “snow day” Tuesday with hundreds of happy tobogganers converging in areas like Ray Perrault Park near Grand Boulevard to enjoy a West Coast snowstorm.
Despite largely dodging the fluffy white bullets in Sunday’s sudden snowstorm, North Vancouver and West Vancouver weren’t spared when the region’s second dump of snow hit overnight Monday.
Anywhere from seven to 10 centimetres of snow had fallen over most of the North Shore by 10 a.m. Tuesday morning, with more flurries expected on and off throughout the rest of the day, according to Matt MacDonald, meteorologist for Environment Canada.
That was on top of between 5 cm and 8 cm of snow that fell overnight on Sunday.
“We could see another five to seven centimetres to the end of (Tuesday),” he said.
Schools in both West Vancouver and North Vancouver were closed Tuesday – an event that hasn’t happened in a decade, primarily because previous snowfalls have come on weekends and holidays .
My current status as I look out the window and contemplate my 2963 day streak as superintendent without calling a snow day. Is this how Cal Ripken felt? #westvaned #gettingupearly pic.twitter.com/SkFTw4qqDQ
— Chris Kennedy (@chrkennedy) February 12, 2019
Classes at Capilano University were also cancelled Tuesday.
Municipal crews were busy with clearing snow through the night Monday. Crews in both North Vancouver and West Vancouver were concentrating on main roads while the snow continued to fall Tuesday. The District of North Vancouver also cancelled a scheduled council workshop and public hearing due to the snow.
Most bus routes continued to operate normally Tuesday although some longer, articulated buses were swapped out for smaller regular buses on difficult hills. Snow socks were installed on some of the North Shore shuttles to help them make it up slippery terrain, according to TransLink.
Wednesday was expected to provide a break in the weather. “It’ll be a good opportunity to catch up on some snow clearing,” said MacDonald.
But don’t go putting the snowshoes and shovels back in the garage just yet.
By Thursday, there’s a good chance the snow will be back again, said MacDonald, with another 5 to 10 cm of snow a possibility.
In fact, don’t expect winter to let up anytime soon.
“The second half of February continues to look colder than normal,” said MacDonald. “The potential for more snow is still a reality as we head into the second half (of the month).”
