Southern B.C. braces for heavy snow as northern region endures bone-chilling cold

Environment Canada says most of central and southern British Columbia will be smacked by a powerful storm due to dump as much as 30 centimetres of snow in some areas tonight and overnight.

Forecasters say the snow should turn to rain in most places by tomorrow, but freezing rain is very likely from the Fraser Valley eastward, adding to already challenging conditions in those regions.

As much as 40 centimetres of snow could blanket southern Interior mountain passes and heavy accumulations are also expected on the Sea-to-Sky Highway and along the Malahat Highway northwest of Victoria.

Extreme cold warnings are also in effect across northern and northeastern BC as well as the southeastern corner of the province, with wind chill values in many areas of the north expected to reach -45 C and around -35 for the Elk Valley.