As snow descended on Vancouver Island throughout Tuesday afternoon, conditions deteriorated rapidly and drivers were forced to slow to a crawl as snow and slush made roads treacherous.
The slippery conditions made it difficult for many vehicles to climb steep hills, and caused minor accidents.
Highway-1 southbound was impassable for a while Tuesday afternoon south of Duncan at the spot known as golf course hill.
A detour was set up using Koksilah Road, but at least one accident near the turn-off to Bright Angel parks slowed that route to a crawl.
Many vehicles heading northbound on the Malahat out of Goldstream reportedly had difficulty making it up the steep grade.
The poor conditions meant delays for school buses operated by the Cowichan Valley School District, with some buses running up to an hour late.
Vancouver Island University cancelled evening classes at its Cowichan and Nanaimo campuses, as well as its Parksville Centre due to the severe weather.
The university says the next update on classes will be at 6:30 am tomorrow morning and urges students not to attempt to go to VIU campuses in Cowichan, Nanaimo, or Parksville until that update is issued.
