The first serious snowfall of this winter is on track to deliver as much as 30 centimetres by the time all is said and done, says Environment Canada meteorologist Jim Steele, and that's just at the airport.
As of midmorning, 22 cm had descended since the first flakes began to fall around 3 p.m. Wednesday. Significantly more is expected to have fallen in the Hart and other higher-elevation spots.
"Winter in all its glory, here it is," Steele said.
Crews have been out since Wednesday night clearing city streets, City transportation manager Al Clark said, concentrating on the arterial routes and the problem hills. The downtown is to follow tonight and then the residential areas are next.
Heading into this winter there was just $240,000 in the snow removal budget for 2011 and $1.4 million in the reserve - enough for six snowfalls until the end of this year.
The deluge is expected to subside this afternoon and the next major dump is not expected until early next week. In the interim, it will be sunny but also cold with highs to just -11 C.
Steele explained the heavy fall as the result of a northern storm track delivering cold air out of the Gulf Alaska, combining with a southern stream bringing moisture from deep in the Pacific off the B.C. coast to develop a "very intense storm."
