Ice floes have formed on B.C.'s longest river due to unseasonably frigid temperatures and a second snowstorm.
Metro Vancouverites grappled with a blast of bone-chilling Arctic air last week, with some places experiencing temperatures that felt as low as -20 C at the peak of the deep freeze.
Just ahead of the coldest weather, the Lower Mainland received a modest dusting of snowfall (under 2 cm) on Jan. 11, marking the season's first true snow event for much of the region.
Heavy snow started to fall overnight Tuesday a snowfall warning remains in place for Wednesday. Metro Vancouver received upwards of 20 cm by the early morning and drivers are advised to stay at home unless they must travel for an essential purpose.
People have shared photos of the winter wonderland on social media, including adorable snow people and the VPD's horses playing in the frosty terrain. The Ministry of Transportation also shared videos of its rope access technicians clearing snow and ice from cables at death-defying heights on bridges.
But one rare sight never fails to make an impact on locals.
Massive chunks of ice formed on parts of the Fraser River last week due to the strikingly cold temperatures.
Locals share videos and pictures of massive ice floes on the Fraser River
One Metro Vancouverite shared a couple of images and a video of the icy scene on X, formerly Twitter, commenting, "Ice on the Mighty Fraser and snow in the sky!"
Matt Piercy's drone footage caught an aerial perspective of the wintry scene.
The Mission bald eagle cam shows even larger ice floes on the waterway.
One local commented that the floes may "weigh hundreds of pounds."
The ice floes looked particularly magical during a vibrant sunrise over the weekend.
This isn't the first time locals have spotted ice floating across the 850-mile-long river. Parts of the waterway froze in 2019 and again in 2021.
Stay up-to-date on Metro Vancouver weather for your neighbourhood with Weatherhood. It provides hyper-local forecasts for over 50 neighbourhoods across the Lower Mainland, including metrics such as temperature, precipitation, wind pressure, air quality, and more.
