An Environment Canada regional meteorologist for Vancouver Island has confirmed that there is no chance of snowfall in Greater Victoria over the next two weeks.
A Facebook post that has been shared nearly 400 times claims that parts of Vancouver Island, including lower elevations throughout the West Shore and the Duncan area, can expect snowfall accumulations over the weekend of November 23rd-24th.
See also: Victoria is in for drier and sunnier winter according to long-term forecast
However, forecasts from The Weather Network and Environment Canada show that the lowest temperatures in Victoria this weekend will be 4°C overnight.
These predictions have been corroborated by Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald who tells Victoria Buzz that there is “absolutely zero chance” of snowfall on the island at elevations lower than 800 m over the next two weeks.
MacDonald calls the Facebook post in question “quite misleading” and states that while the next weather system this weekend will be colder than what Vancouver Island has been experiencing so far this fall, snowfall is still out of the question for lower elevations.
“On average, the first day of snow recorded at Victoria International Airport is November 30th, with records going back to 1940,” says MacDonald. “This year I don’t see any chance of snow into the first week of December at sea level.”
The Facebook post also stated that parts of the island could see up to 50 cm of snowfall.
However, MacDonald says that while Mount Washington will receive its first snow of the season on Saturday, there will be no more than 20 cm of accumulation.
“Initially, the freezing level will be at 2,000 m with onset of precipitation that will start off as rain at most elevations across the island,” says MacDonald.
“But just at the tail end of that system on Saturday night, freezing levels are going to drop to 1,200 m which means there will be snow on Mount Washington.”
Here is Victoria’s weather forecast for the next 7 days:
