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Prince George’s winter storm warning ends, followed by risk of freezing rain

Watch out for black ice
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Snow accumulation following the Oct. 25, 2020 winter storm. (via Hanna Petersen, PrinceGeorgeMatters)

The winter storm warning, which saw Prince George get about 20 cm of snow, before Halloween has ended.

But now, there’s a risk of freezing rain!

Environment Canada meteorologist Carmen Hartt says it’s not unusual for Prince George to get snowfall in October, but what’s different this year is that the snow didn’t melt.

“Frequently, we do have snow in October but it melts right away,” says Hartt to PrinceGeorgeMatters.

“But this time it actually stuck around for the past week or so and that is due to a persistent cold air mass that came from the arctic and put us into a record-breaking cold pattern.”

It’s been below the seasonal normal and we’ve only seen a few degrees above 0 C, which hasn’t been warm enough to melt the snow.

On Saturday morning (Oct. 24), the day of the 2020 B.C. election, Prince George saw its coldest Oct. 24 in over 100 years.

“It was the coldest since we started taking records in 1912 and it got down to -13.7 C where the previous record was -13.3 C set in 1919,” Hartt explains, adding the city is now in a transition period with forecasted highs closer to normal seasonal averages.

However, we are also expecting rain which may help melt the snow, but also means there’s a risk of freezing rain if it falls when the temperature is below 0 C.

“We have a warmer rainy pattern coming so if that rain falls through a cold air mass it turns to freezing rain, super cold water, and freezes on the surface. So that can cause iciness on the snow or even black ice on a bare road and slippery conditions in general,“ says Hartt.  

“Until we get above zero we will have some concerns for freezing rain.”

Following last night’s snowfall, the city’s snow and ice control activities are currently focusing on Priority One and Two routes throughout the city.

Plow trucks are in all areas of the city, as of this publication (Oct. 26, 12:15 p.m.), performing snow clearing and deicing.

City graders are also focusing on main routes in the bowl that can be cleared on dayshift, with city loaders assisting in grading efforts and sidewalk machines focusing on priority routes.

City of PG snow removal graphic chartThis graphic details when and where the City of Prince George will plow its streets after a specific snow event (via City of Prince George)