Don’t put away your shovel yet.
So far in January, more snow has fallen on Squamish than it typically does in the entire month. Thirty-eight centimetres have already piled up, well above the total average of 26 centimetres.
Snowplows have been venturing out in full force – clearing the main roads first – while residents shovel their driveways and cover walkways with salt.
In December, Squamish really was a winter wonderland with more than double the average snowfall. An impressive 63 centimetres accumulated, much more than the typical 31, according to Environment Canada.
And long-range forecasts indicate the temperature will remain low enough for more powder to build up.
“December was three degrees colder than normal, so a larger portion of precipitation is falling as snow rather than rain,” said Matthew MacDonald, a meteorologist with Environment Canada. “Snowstorms have been staying as snow, instead of switching over to rain.”
All this snow, however, hasn’t resulted in any fines being issued for not clearing sidewalks.
All complaints from residents have been resolved by discussing the matter with property owners, said Christina Moore, communications manager with the District of Squamish. Still, in some cases, the District has noticed out-of-town owners haven’t been compliant.
“We recognize that we don’t have a perfect system in this regard, but we are aware of the challenges and continue to work on strategies to improve on these aspects,” Moore said.
Jason Ross, Environment Canada’s official local weather watcher, said winter has been harsher this year.
“There’s definitely been more snow than we’ve seen in the last several years,” he told The Chief.
Ross takes over for long-distance technology’s limitations. He has manually measured the amount of snowfall in Squamish and recorded it for Environment Canada for the past 27 years.
“When the cold air pours out of the Interior to the Coast, that’s an Arctic airflow,” he explains.
“It’s drier than warm pacific air; perfect for making snow.”
Several Arctic outflow warnings have been issued for Squamish over the last two months, as people were cautioned to stay inside when the wind chill often dipped below -15 degrees.
The latest warning, announced on Tuesday, forecast wind chills of -20 degrees.
This winter’s blast can be blamed on a weak La Niña. This means the ocean temperature is colder than normal, MacDonald explained, resulting in the chilling temperatures Squamish residents are bracing themselves for.
La Niña is expected to dissipate in February and March, when temperatures will return to normal, he added.
To deal with the snow, Moore said the District of Squamish has been targeting certain areas.
“[We’re] responding to all bylaw-related complaints including snow-related events,” she said.
District by-law staff have been talking one-on-one with business owners to ensure they shovel in front of their stores. In the Industrial Park, staff have followed-up with non-compliant businesses, especially those along the main road.
