Environment Canada expanding its weather warnings for much of south and central BC

Environment Canada has expanded its weather warnings for much of south and central B-C as strong winds and heavy snowstorms are expected to start today and continue into the weekend.

It says areas of the central and north coasts could get up to 40 centimetres of snow, while Squamish, Whistler and the Sea-to-Sky corridor are expecting between 25 and 35 centimetres.

Winter storm and snowfall warnings have also been issued for areas including East Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Fraser Canyon, and heavy snow is expected in the southern Interior, Cariboo and the Kootenays this weekend.

An arctic air mass over northeastern BC is dropping temperatures to around minus 26 with wind chill values near minus 40.