February 12, 2019 - 8:14 AM
VANCOUVER - Schools across most of British Columbia's south coast and Vancouver Island are closed, public transit is disrupted and drivers are being urged to stay off the roads as a snowstorm blankets the region.
With the exception of the northern tip of the Island, snowfall warnings remain posted for the south coast and Environment Canada says the system that has dumped more than 15 centimetres of snow in some areas is expected to continue for most of Tuesday.
Vancouver International Airport is advising travellers to check with their airline , but officials at the airport say runways are plowed and open.
The snow is not derailing plans for delivery of the throne speech at the legislature in Victoria, although Victoria International Airport was reporting some early flight cancellations, potentially complicating travel plans for politicians.
Environment Canada says a winter storm is also lashing the southeastern corner of the province and could blanket some areas with as much as 35 centimetres of snow before the system passes late Tuesday.
In northeastern B.C., an extreme cold warning has been issued for the Peace River region, where wind chill values of -40 are forecast around Fort St. John.
News from © The Canadian Press, 2019