Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the Malahat portion of the Trans-Canada Highway as well as east and and inland Vancouver Island.
The weather forecaster is alerting motorists of low pressure system expected to result in light snow and a risk of freezing drizzle this morning, leading to slippery road conditions.
Recent cold weather has primed the south coast for low-elevation snowfall, says Environment Canada.
Snowfall amounts are forecast to be minimal, trace amounts to two centimetres, although the Lower Mainland may see near up to four centimetres.
Road conditions are available at Drive B.C.
Warmer temperatures forecast this afternoon will change light snow into to light rain.
Greater Victoria could escape any snowfall Monday night and see only a chance of drizzle, said an Environment Canada meteorologist.
“In Victoria, we just don’t really have snow in the forecast,” Derek Lee said Monday.
Meanwhile, the Fraser Valley could get up to 10 centimetres of snow until the next Pacific system moves in Wednesday night, bringing rain to lower elevations.
Conditions are more extreme inland from the north coast, where a risk of frostbite and hypothermia is in effect for places like Kitimat and Terrace due to wind chill values near -20 C.
The unusually cold temperatures and strong winds are due to a high pressure system pushing arctic air toward the coast.
— With a file from Jeff Bell
