In Which Vancouver Fails At Snow With Spectacular Results

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bridges, coping with snow, shovelling, snow, snow driving, Vancouver, winter

Vancouver got the first snowfall of winter the other day, and since this is Vancouver we are talking about, it could very well be its last snowfall of the winter as well.

I have always liked snow. Living in the Caribbean made me appreciate it, especially at Christmas time.

I don’t like Vancouver’s rainy weather, and I get delighted when the snow hits, because on top of a winter wonderland, I get some fantastic entertainment: watching Vancouver deal with snow.

Vancouver doesn’t get snow often, so when it arrives the entire city goes into a full scale panic.

December 18, 2012 — A snowfall warning has been issued for the southern coastal region of BC as a strong frontal system arrives tonight. 

Scattered precipitation will fall over the area today and become widespread this evening as the system approaches.

“It’s all elevation dependent” says Brian Dillon, a meteorologist with The Weather Network. “Areas of Vancouver close to the harbour should receive less than 2 cm of snow but if you move 100 m above the city you could see up to 5 cm.”

That’s right. Snowfall warnings are issued for what many parts of the country would consider flurries.

And with good reason, because this city can’t handle even a few centimetres of snow. 

If snow fell in the heart of the Caribbean tomorrow, I don’t think the startled inhabitants could deal with it more poorly than Vancouverites do.