[chris]

A rare, major snowfall that started Monday and continued into Wednesday across British Columbia grounded flights, jammed roads and suspended ferries.

Blowing snow and unusually frigid temperatures hit the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island overnight. Downtown Vancouver saw 30 centimeters of snow in fewer than 24 hours, and social media posts showed people skiing through city streets.

A large portion of Highway 5 was closed because of hazardous road conditions. Vancouver International Airport reported mass cancellations, and several departing planes full of passengers sat on the frozen tarmac overnight, unable to return to the gate so travelers could deplane.

The weather agency said the cold air mass carried by an arctic front was expected to remain through Thursday. Drivers were told to expect difficult conditions on snow-covered, icy roads across the south coast and Vancouver Island.