South coast residents warned to brace for more snow as Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island prepares for stormy weather

Summer is just over four weeks away but south coast residents are being warned to brace for more snow, at least at higher elevations, as winter won't release its chilly grip.

Special weather statements from Environment Canada cover Vancouver Island and the inner south coast as an unseasonably strong spring storm arrives tonight packing gusty winds, heavy rain and another dump of snow on coastal mountain passes.

The weather office says all of Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, Howe Sound, Whistler, Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley will be affected before conditions ease and temperatures start to creep up to more seasonal levels by later this week.

There is some uncertainty about the exact track of the storm and Environment Canada says residents should monitor conditions because weather warnings could be issued as the forecast is refined.