Snow snarls traffic and triggers school closures in B.C.‘s Fraser Valley

Schools were closed in Mission, and Abbotsford transit was halted Thursday morning following another bout of snow, localized to the Fraser Valley.

The Fraser Valley was hit with another significant dump of snow early Thursday morning, with parts of the region witnessing up to four centimetres overnight.

Many roads had not been plowed by the time the morning commute began, snarling traffic and leading to a number of accidents.

The Fraser River appeared to be the dividing line of where the snow fell. The special weather statements issued by Environment Canada ended for Metro Vancouver Thursday morning, after the region only saw a light dusting in most areas.

However, slush could be seen on the Surrey side of the Port Mann Bridge, and conditions worsened the further drivers travelled eastwards down Highway 1.

Snow blanketed everywhere east of Cloverdale, covering road markings and making it difficult to drive for early commuters.

A new special weather statement was issued for Abbotsford and Mission.

“Low pressure lingering in Washington is continuing to pump moisture into the region. Bands of convective flurries are expected to remain over portions of the Lower Mainland this morning,” wrote the weather agency.

It says snowfall amounts will be variable, but an additional two centimetres can be expected.

“With the convective nature of the precipitation, local heavy flurries may reduce visibilities. Please allow for extra time for your travel and be prepared to adjust your driving with quickly changing road conditions,” wrote Environment Canada.

The Mission School District #75 closed all of its schools Thursday morning.

“Due to recent snowfall and ice concerns, school buses are unable to run,” wrote the district on its website.

All schools in Abbotsford remained open, but bus routes to Ross Elementary, Aberdeen Elementary, Mt. Lehman Elementary, Bradner Elementary, King Traditional Elementary were not in service.