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Ice drifts on Fraser River near Langley

Ice floes formed on the Fraser River and collided with the shoreline along Derby Reach Thursday.
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Ducks flew over ice floes on the Fraser River at Derby Reach Thursday. (Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance)

Large sheets of ice were drifting past Langley on the Fraser River Thursday, as the community prepared for another blast of snow and cold wind.

The ice sheets had begun building up on Wednesday, and by Thursday morning, piles of broken ice were building up along the shoreline where the ice sheets ran into the land.

Because the river is tidal in Langley, ice was moving east up the river on Thursday morning.

More cold weather is expected for the next few days.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather advisory, calling for snow overnight Thursday and into Friday for Metro Vancouver, including Langley, with bitterly cold Arctic outflow winds Friday night and Saturday.

“A fresh injection of arctic air will descend through the province tonight,” said the advisory. “Increasing moisture ahead of this Arctic blast will give snow to most of the South Coast beginning overnight. Snow will continue through Friday. Most areas will receive at least a few centimetres of accumulation by Saturday morning. However, there is potential for much higher accumulations over some regions. The most recent weather models suggest that the areas favoured for higher accumulations will be East Vancouver Island, southern sections of Inland Vancouver Island, portions of Greater Victoria and the Fraser Valley.”

“Snow will start to ease Friday night as bitterly cold outflow winds start to pour out of the mainland inlets and valleys. The arctic outflow will be strongest over Howe Sound-Whistler, the Fraser Valley, Greater Victoria and the southern Gulf Islands. These areas will experience bitterly cold wind chill values and reduced visibilities in blowing snow.”

Langley RCMP have continued all week to move homeless people who are out in the cold to any daytime shelters where they can warm up, even if that means taking them to Surrey.

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(Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance)
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(Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance)


Matthew Claxton

About the Author: Matthew Claxton

Raised in Langley, as a journalist today I focus on local politics, crime and homelessness.
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