B.C.'s South Coast readies for weekend winter blast

The weekend should dawn bright and sunny for most of B.C.'s South Coast, but a change in the weather is on the way.

Saturday night is expected to bring the first snowfall of the winter for many neighbourhoods on the Lower Mainland, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and the Central Coast, and Environment Canada has issued special weather statements warning of the change in conditions.

The snow is expected to continue into Sunday.

Some of that snow might even linger on the ground for a little while, with accumulations of two to five centimetres in the forecast for most of the affected areas, and up to 15 centimetres in eastern and inland areas of Vancouver Island, including the Malahat Highway.

By Sunday afternoon,the snow will be mixed with rain in many areas, forecasters say, but more snow is possible later in the week.

In preparation for the wintry weather, the City of Vancouver says more than 100 vehicles and 3,000 tonnes of salt are ready to hit the roads this weekend.

The city is also opening additional shelter spaces at the Powell Street Getaway, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre and the Creekside Community Centre.