Winter storm warnings are in effect for several areas of British Columbia, including Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley in the Lower Mainland.

has also issued weather warnings for the Central Coast, Howe Sound, inland Vancouver Island, the North Coast, and Whistler.

Winter storms are expected to begin on Saturday, with Arctic air coming south from Yukon and through northern B.C.

"As more Pacific air floods onto the coast Sunday, snowfalls will be heavy in some inland regions and freezing rain will create locally treacherous travel conditions," Environment Canada's warning reads (link above).

"A steady flow of warm moist air will persist through the early part of the week."

A 'special weather' bulletin has been issued for much of the rest of B.C., from the Fraser Valley east to the Alberta border and north to include Williston and Bulkley Valley regions.