A major snowstorm in southern British Columbia is having “an uprecedented impact” on flights at Vancouver International Airport, officials said today.
“The winter storm and severe snowfall has had an unprecedented impact on flights and operations at YVR, with mass cancellations. Travel continues to be significantly impacted this morning & we anticipate cancellations to continue through the day and the week ahead,” airport officials said on their @flyyvr Twitter feed.
FlightAware.com reports 146 cancelled flights as of 1:45 p.m. Pacific Standard Time today, or roughly 33% of all daily flights.
“We recognize the affect these cancellations have on our community. We sincerely apologize to all those impacted. For latest flight info & updates, passengers can also visit http://YVR.ca. We will provide further info as it becomes available & updates throughout the day,” YVR officials stated.
The rest of Canada can’t exactly rest easy. Air Canada has travel advisories
Cancellations also are taking place across the U.S. Midwest as a “bomb cyclone” storm moves down from the north.
Lake effect snow and cold temperatures are forecast for southern Ontario later this week. It’s also bitterly cold in Alberta, with overnight temperatures lower than -30 Celsius.
Air Canada has a travel advisory on its site for Vancouver for tomorrow, Dec. 21, saying flights “may be impacted by forecasted winter operational conditions.”
Air Canada also has advisories out for forecasted snow in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal on Friday, Dec. 23; traditionally one of the busiest days of the year for airports.
A so-called “bomb cyclone” is expected to hit the U.S. Midwest and Northeast later this week. U.S. airlines are issuing waivers and advising customers of potential delays. Chicago and Buffalo are two cities likely to be hit hard, weather forecasters say.
“The developing cyclone will deliver heavy snow and blizzard conditions to some and downpours to others between Wednesday and Friday night, all coming at a time of year when more than 110 million Americans are expected to take to the roads and air,” the Washington Post
reports.
The U.S. National Weather Service in Buffalo put out the following information on Twitter (@NWSBUFFALO) today:
“Here are some significant details for the upcoming storm:
* flash freeze
* strong winds – to 65mph
* heavy lake effect snow
* localized blizzard conditions, whiteouts
* power outages/tree damage
* difficult to impossible travel at times
* wind chills 10 to 20 below zero.”
