The snowstorm that's been hammering much of the Lower Mainland this week finally arrived in Richmond on Wednesday morning - just in time for the morning commute.
There was only a couple of centimetres of the white stuff, but it managed to slow the rushhour journey for many to a crawl.
More of a concern than the snow was the blast of Arctic air, with the mercury dropping to -8 C at the airport with the wind chill factor making it feel like -12 C.
And with more wet snow forecast for Friday, the City of Richmond has already set into motion its "snow response plan."
City crews were working up to 12 hours in advance of Wednesday's snowfall, laying down anti-icing liquid brine and/or salt on the roads to prevent frost and ice from forming.
According to the city, when a snowstorm hits and if the severity of the storm requires such a response, crews begin working around the clock.
The city's roads and construction services department ensures all major arterial roads are cleared, salted and/or sanded so emergency vehicles (police, ambulance and fire trucks), public transit and private vehicles are able to travel the primary routes.
Ice and snow removal is cleared initially from first and second priority routes.
Last year, the city added third priority routes for snow clearing, with the aim of improving local neighbourhood clearing and accessibility.
Third priority routes consist of designated collector roads and roads of local significance.
Salting and plowing activities on third priority routes occurs only when first and second priority routes are under control and are scheduled during regular working hours (Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 4: 30 p.m.).
Third priority routes represent approximately 77 kilometres of roads and were developed, in part, based on input from residents and the Board of Education.
To address the region's current ice and snow advisories, the city activated day and night shifts to provide 24-hour coverage, which will continue until the current weather activity has passed.
As of Tuesday, all first and second priority routes were pre-treated. By Tuesday afternoon, crews were shifting attention to the city's third priority routes, and it was estimated that all priority routes would be pre-treated by Tuesday night.
For more information on the city's snow response, visit www.richmond.ca.
Residents needing assistance with snow removal or pick-up of groceries or medications during a major snowfall are encouraged to access the Snow Angels registry.
These volunteer organizations have registered to assist the elderly and residents with mobility challenges during heavy snowfalls.
They can call Richmond City Hall at 604-276-4000, the city's parks and recreation department at 604-244-1208, or any Richmond community centre. The registry can also be accessed online at www.richmond. ca/winter.
