Metro Vancouver Set for Freezing Temps After Storm

Monday will see intermittent showers into the early or mid-afternoon with unsettled conditions through the night, Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor tells V.I.A.

A frontal system developing in the Gulf of Alaska will move into the Lower Mainland late Tuesday morning and continue into Wednesday and Thursday, bringing periods of rain and wind.

"We are setting into another November-like pattern," he says. "But the rain is expected to be sub-warning criteria at this point. In Metro Vancouver, rainfall totals of 20 to 40 millimetres are expected over the next three days."  

Proctor notes that travellers may want to check BC Ferries schedules for possible sailing cancellations, as powerful winds are expected.

Temperatures closer to seasonal averages, with highs of 7 C and overnight lows of 2 C,  are expected with the stormy weather.  

Metro Vancouver weather forecast includes shift to cooler weather

After the storm moves south, temperatures are expected to drop as cold air seeps into the West Coast. Daytime highs of 5 to 6 C are expected, dropping to as low as -1 C overnight. 

Proctor says the frigid lows aren't associated with an Arctic outbreak but just a cooler air mass settling over the region.

"It looks like it's going to be colder through the weekend and then warm up a bit before cooling off again. But a cooler pattern is kicking in at the start of December. This could be the start of La Niña setting in," he explains. 

"It looks like there might be slightly above normal precipitation, with below normal temperatures through the month."

Proctor says snowfall isn't likely over the weekend in the North Shore mountains, but it is more likely next week as temperatures drop.