The mid-Island woke up to freezing temperatures and some snow after an Arctic weather system made landfall on Vancouver Island Thursday evening. (file photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

ready for winter

‘Drive slow and drive smoothly:’ caution advised on Nanaimo roadways during winter storm

Jan 12, 2024 | 5:24 AM

NANAIMO — With the arrival of the cold weather with a chance of snow in the forecast, Nanaimo RCMP is reminding residents to take care and go slow when moving around the mid-Island.

A blast of Arctic air, bringing temperatures as low as -50 with the windchill on the mainland, finally landed in Nanaimo Thursday bringing with it low temperatures, flurries, and bone-chilling winds.

Nanaimo RCMP Res. Cst. Gary O’Brien said drivers need to make sure their vehicle is clear of snow and ice and in good working conditions before hitting the road.

“Drive slow and drive smoothly. Don’t expect your car to stop instantly when it’s on ice. When you’re preparing for a turn, brake slowly. Don’t tailgate, don’t drive behind a car because your stopping time is significantly reduced.”

Mainroad Mid-Island also has crews on standby ready to roll once the flurries start to fly, covering roughly 3,600 lane kilometres of highway and industrial roads across the central Island.

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They sent out a release on Thursday warning of the impact of the cold weather event which could cause sudden changes to driving conditions.

Mainroad said they are actively applying anti-icing on all highways throughout the mid-Island in anticipation of the cold and snow and will be patrolling their routes overnight.

O’Brien says there are several spots around Nanaimo which can become troublesome once conditions get slippery.

“Turner (Rd.) and Hwy. 19A is always an issue because the cars get stuck going up the hill, then they come back down, and it’s a pinball situation. Jingle Pot Rd., because it doesn’t get a lot of sunlight ice develops very quickly, even a thin layer of snow. And also Cinnabar/Extension area. Extremely treacherous, you’ve got a grade on the road and a lot of cars coming in from the side roads.”

It’s also important to watch out for pedestrians, especially if schools close due to the winter conditions, which means more children might be playing outside.

Pedestrians can also heed the same advice as drivers, which means go slow and be mindful of icy conditions on sidewalks and roadway crossings.

O’Brien also reminds drivers to be patient when it comes to plough operators, who have to clean the main priority routes first, sometimes multiple times, before they get to secondary and residential areas.

“City snowploughs, the crews, they’re doing a great job so cut them some slack. They are going to clean emergency exits first. First and foremost they have to be cleaned. Then they will go for secondary roads. So please understand the process they have. The drivers are committed, the staff are professional, they are doing what they can to keep you safe.”

City crews have been prepped and ready for a major winter event like this since last year, despite weather forecasters predicting a milder than usual winter.

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