Snow is expected to be falling on Christmas day in the Nanaimo area, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Brian Proctor. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

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NANAIMO — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Brian Proctor said a series of systems bringing sporadic snow and freezing rain has led to snow on the ground Christmas Eve, with more expected Christmas day.

“We’re going to see a white Christmas, which we at Environment Canada would define as having two centimeters of snow on the ground.”

Proctor expected the snow to fall throughout Nanaimo over the holidays.

“Probably around five centimeters for the Cassidy area at the airport and spinning back up towards Nanaimo itself. And sort of continuing Christmas evening and tapering off on Sunday.”

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Higher elevations and areas away from the ocean can expect higher snowfall accumulations, Proctor said.

Snow is expected to in most Vancouver Island communities on Christmas Day, with accumulations expected to be higher in the Comox Valley/Campbell River areas.

Following a blanket of snow, cold temperatures settle in on much of the province, thrusted by a substantial blast of arctic air.

Proctor said the central Island area won’t be immune to much chillier than normal conditions.

“We are looking for overnight lows in that minus five to minus 10 range right through Boxing day through to New Years at this point.”

Proctor said people will be thankful to be living on Vancouver Island as opposed to places in the northern half of B.C., where temperatures will hit the minus 30-40 C range.

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