Snow is expected to continue until late this evening and travellers are asked to be prepared for the conditions.
Environment Canada revised its snowfall warning for Friday, forecasting more than 10 centimetres of snow to fall around east Vancouver Island before tapering off late in the evening.
“Rapidly accumulating snow will make travel difficult,” notes the warning. “Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions.”
On Gabriola Island, a vehicle went off the road, down an embankment and ended up in a creek. The incident happened at about 2:20 p.m. on Taylor Bay Road and Jethro Baker, a captain with Gabriola Volunteer Fire Department, said the weather was a factor.
“He hit the barrier and flew over the barrier and landed on the steep slope and basically drove it down a steeper than 45-degree bank and into the stream,” Baker said. “There’s some damage to the vehicle but [he’s] very lucky … It was a convertible, so it could have been bad.”
The driver, the only occupant of the vehicle, was taken to a medical clinic and released.
Baker said the accident was the third of the day on the island and said the weather has been making things progressively worse.
“The road conditions are awful right now,” he said.
Nanaimo Fire Rescue was on scene at a multiple-vehicle accident on Uplands Drive near Emerald Drive and Tunnah Road a little after 3 p.m., according to a social media post, and asks motorists to avoid the area if possible.
The City of Nanaimo posted on social media that drivers are asked to use caution in winter driving conditions, and that plows were out clearing emergency routes.
Regional District of Nanaimo transit alerted via social media that buses are “now on adverse weather routing for all routes.” Transit users are asked to refer to their rider’s guide for mapping information or call 250-390-4531 for more information.
#Nanaimo #Snow @NanaimoBulletin Heavy snow is rapidly building up and causing slippery conditions on Nanaimo Parkway and Island Highway. Plows out but traffic slow. Use extra caution and take your time getting where you're going. pic.twitter.com/iLAQ3s67aU
— Nanaimo Bulletin (@NanaimoBulletin) December 29, 2017
Unexpected snowfall, #Nanaimo have created winter driving conditions, use caution when stopping at traffic signals and stop signs. Crews are out ploughing emergency routes currently. #YCD
— City of Nanaimo (@cityofnanaimo) December 29, 2017