It looks like Vancouver could see temperatures dip to 0 C or lower before Halloween.
Temperatures are expected to hit the freezing mark at the Environment Canada station at Vancouver International Airport later this week. Armel Castellan, a warning preparedness meteorologist with the federal agency, says it'll be colder the further someone is from the ocean.
It could get as low as -4 or -5 C in the eastern parts of Metro Vancouver on Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, he explains.
"You'll see often conditions can be colder as you go east away from the Salish Sea," he adds.
The reason for the drop is modified Arctic air, which is making its way through the province's interior right now, where special weather statements have already been issued. In Vancouver, this will drop temperatures 4 to 5 degrees below normal Castellan says. Highs are expected to only reach 9 or 10 C.
But first, rain
Before the cold air arrives, a system off the coast is expected to dump rain on Vancouver, with showers starting Monday, Oct. 23. Vancouver Island will be at the centre of the system, but Vancouver and the Lower Mainland will get plenty of precipitation, Castellan says.
"Nanaimo will be at the centre of this rain event as it slinks south," he explains. "Vancouver won't see the same amount but it'll still be a rainy Tuesday daytime and overnight."
Wintry weather early?
Tuesday night there may be some winter-like weather in some parts of B.C.'s south coast and Vancouver Island.
With a low-pressure system on the coast and high-pressure Arctic air coming from the east, valleys and fjords on the coast could see outflow winds coming down with cold air while moist air still sits over the Island and Lower Mainland.
Those cold winds won't cause any advisories, Castellan says, because they won't be extreme compared to winter winds. However, they could be a bit of a shock to people, especially vulnerable and unhoused populations, as the winds will be significantly cooler than recent weather, especially given how warm October has been so far.
At the same time, higher elevations including the Sea-to-Sky highway and eastern parts of Nanaimo could see "chunky rain" and "wet flakes" while places like Whistler or the peaks of the North Shore Mountains could get a dusting of snow sticking around. It'll depend on when and where the cold front and moist air meet.
"We could see the snow levels down to 400 m on the Sea-to-Sky," he explains.
Other highways at higher elevations on the coast could also see unseasonable weather. Castellan suggests people check Environment Canada's BC Travellers Forecast for short-term information on high-elevation highways.
While this will be an El Nino winter, which typically means a milder season, Castellan notes that won't take effect until later, after Christmas, and that snow could still fall in Vancouver before then.
Vancouver residents can use V.I.A.'s Weatherhood to check neighbourhood-specific weather data and forecasts for over a dozen locations in the city, with more throughout the Lower Mainland.
