For the third straight day, an Island snowstorm battered most of Vancouver Island.
“Since Friday it’s been non-stop, we have been working 24 hours around the clock,” said Darryl Slater of Emcon Services.
“We get caught up then, we switch over to the sides roads, then we have to come back out because it’s started snowing again.”
By Monday afternoon, the snowfall warnings were removed, but what followed were temperatures above freezing mixed with rain, resulting in snow quickly melting.
Crews are now worried about icy roads.
“The roads are bare and wet, and during the day the temperatures are quite nice but at nighttime, it cools right down and that’s when we have problems on the road,” said Slater.
“Tonight will be very busy crews will be out all night sanding and salting.”
The Malahat saw a new layer of snow, but by early afternoon the rain had set in. In warmer locations like Greater Victoria, the snow has already turned into a slushy mess.
Homeowners are being urged to get their properties ready.
“Make sure all your driveway drains are free and clear of debris, downspouts and everything are free and clear of debris,” said Jaeson Navaroli, owner of Drain Pro Plumbing.
“If you do notice a problem with flooding, the best thing you can do is divert your downspouts away from your house.”
But the calls have already started flooding in following the Island snowstorm.
“A lot of frozen pipes, which are already happening,” said Navaroli. “[There are] perimeter drain issues that people did not take care of before the flooding season started.”
On the Malahat, more than 40 centimetres had already fallen by Monday morning. Records were set from Victoria to Comox — and even in temperate Tofino this weekend.
“Victoria is not normally the epicentre of snowfall events,” said Tyler Hamilton from The Weather Network. “The one daily snowfall on Saturday that 16 centimetres that fell at Victoria international airport tied 8th for all time for the month of February. The thing that stands out for me was the 15 centimetres at the beaches at Tofino. That’s unusual.”
But with temperatures almost hitting the positive teens, that snow isn’t expected to stick around for long.
READ MORE: Family Day long weekend ends with more snow, from the Comox Valley to Ucluelet
Julian Kolsut
