Only Strata Snow Removal, the region’s leading provider of strata-focused snow clearing + de-icing services, has issued its Winter 2025 Forecast & Ice Risk Warning following new climate data pointing to colder, more variable conditions across British Columbia’s Lower Mainland.
According to several major forecasting models, including OpenSnow, Severe-Weather.eu, and AccuWeather, the 2025–2026 winter season is expected to bring colder early-season temperatures, more frequent freeze-thaw cycles, and heightened black-ice formation risks — especially in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and high-elevation zones.
“This winter won’t necessarily bring record snow totals — but it will bring volatility,” said Trevor James, Regional Manager at Only Strata Snow Removal. “These alternating warm and cold phases create the perfect recipe for ice buildup and black-ice events, which are far more dangerous than visible snowfall. We’re advising strata councils to finalize contracts before the first major freeze window in late October.”
Forecast Summary for British Columbia’s Urban Zones
Meteorological data for Western Canada points toward a weak La Niña or ENSO-neutral phase developing through late 2025. Historically, that pattern has produced:
- Colder-than-average starts to winter in the Fraser Valley and Tri-Cities regions, with early freeze conditions as soon as mid-November.
- Mixed precipitation events across Vancouver, Richmond, and Surrey, where brief warm-ups are followed by overnight temperature drops that create invisible black-ice layers.
- Above-average snow potential for Abbotsford, Coquitlam, and other interior-influenced communities, especially during December and January storm windows.
- Higher incident risk of ice-related slips, falls, and parking-lot collisions in strata complexes between 2 °C and –3 °C — the critical temperature band for refreeze formation.
Environment Canada’s long-range model and private forecast partners both note that early winter (Nov–Dec) could deliver several prolonged freeze-thaw periods — conditions under which surface ice rapidly forms even after minor rainfall.
Black Ice: The Silent Liability for Strata Properties
Black ice occurs when a thin film of moisture freezes on pavement at or just below freezing temperatures, creating an invisible glaze that blends with asphalt.
Recent meteorological studies show that:
- Air temperatures below 4 °C and humidity above 75% sharply increase black-ice probability.
- Bridges, shaded driveways, and north-facing lots are most susceptible.
- Black-ice incidents produce higher injury severity than snow-related accidents due to their unpredictability.
(Sources: NOAA / NSSL, Scientific Reports 2024, PLOS ONE 2024.)
“Our AI forecasting engine now models relative humidity, surface temperature, and dew-point trends hour-by-hour,” explained Sam, Technology Lead at Only Strata. “That allows us to pre-treat high-risk strata zones in places like Coquitlam, Surrey, and Abbotsford before ice even forms.”
Proactive Planning Across the Lower Mainland
To mitigate these risks, Only Strata has:
- Expanded its monitored coverage area to more than 26 municipalities, including Vancouver snow removal, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Langley, and Burnaby snow removal.
- Deployed AI-integrated weather modeling and dispatch tracking that predicts local freeze zones in real time.
- Staged additional salt and brine reserves in the Fraser Valley and Metro Vancouver for early-season activation.
- Enhanced overnight patrols for strata properties identified as high-risk for black-ice formation.
With many competing contractors already nearing capacity, the company warns that strata councils delaying until November risk being waitlisted as routes close.
A Call to Strata Councils and Property Managers
Only Strata recommends that strata and residential communities:
- Finalize 2025–26 winter service agreements before October 31 to guarantee coverage.
- Conduct pre-season inspections of drainage, curbs, and shaded areas most prone to ice.
- Prioritize brine pre-treatment and anti-ice applications in low-sunlight or sloped driveways.
To check if your strata or neighborhood falls into a high-risk snow and ice zone, visit: www.onlystrata.ca/service-zones
About Only Strata Snow Removal
Only Strata Snow Removal provides advanced, strata-focused snow plowing and ice management services across British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, including Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, and surrounding cities such as Vancouver, Surrey, Richmond, Coquitlam, Abbotsford, Langley, Burnaby, and North Vancouver.
With a fleet of specialized ATVs, eco-brine systems, and AI-powered storm monitoring, the company has earned recognition for safety, reliability, and digital transparency — helping hundreds of strata corporations maintain a perfect winter liability record.
Media Contact:
Trevor James
Title: Regional Manager
Email: info@onlystrata.ca
Phone: 604-992-7500
Source: Prodigy.press
Release ID: 1856600
