Updated 1:20 p.m.: BC Ferries has cancelled Bowen Queen sailings for the rest of Wednesday as has Cormorant Marine water taxi.
Bowen Island Municipality issued the following information:
"If you live on Bowen and are on the mainland, please make arrangements now to stay with family, friends, or at a hotel for the night. If you are absolutely stranded with nowhere to go, please call the BIM Emergency Program Coordinator at 778-772-4322.
If you live on the mainland and are currently on Bowen Island, please reach out to local family or friends to find a place to stay for the night. If you are absolutely stranded with nowhere to go, please call the BIM Emergency Program Coordinator at 778-772-4322. Locals: if you see people stranded in the Cove, please give them this info."
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Much of the island is at a standstill Wednesday as snow coats the island.
Bowen Island Community School and all other schools in the West Vancouver School District and the municipality are closed. The Bowen Children’s Centre is open but Family Place and the after school program are closed. Garbage pickup is postponed.
The municipality is advising islanders to stay home and not to drive if possible.
It is true . . . after one snow day in a decade this is our second one this week. All @WestVanSchools will be closed today, Wednesday, January 15th. Stay safe! #westvaned pic.twitter.com/0DhPSfUPYb
— Chris Kennedy (@chrkennedy) January 15, 2020
Businesses that are closed:
- Bowen Island Flower Shop
- Cocoa West
- The Well
- Birch Wellness
- Bowen Island Pub
- The Snug
- Artisan Eats
- Gas station
- Tell Your Friends
- The Flower Shop
Businesses that are open:
- The Ruddy Potato
- Phoenix
- The Gym
- Doc Morgan's
- Bowen Beer and Wine Cellar
- The Barbershop
- First Credit Union
- General Store
- Pharmacy
(This list is not exhaustive, let us know what's open and closed!)
The buses and ferry are running though BC Ferries cancelled three Bowen Queen sailings this morning due to high winds.
The island is under a blizzard warning and a winter storm warning. Low visibility and high winds are expected.
“Cold arctic air will continue to funnel through Howe Sound producing strong northerly winds of 90 to 110 km/h near Bowen Island today and tonight,” says the Environment Canada blizzard warning. “The strong arctic outflow winds combined with falling snow will generate blizzard conditions.”
The winter storm warning predicts snow accumulations of 20 to 30 cm in the Sea to Sky area.
For ferry updates check the BC Ferries website.
