The year is 1965 and British Columbia’s Ministry of Transports is conducting an experiment in the Kootenay Mountains. This experiment took place roughly 700 kilometers from Vancouver, BC, between Creston and Salmo, BC.
Snowfall in the Kootenays is far greater than what we experience in the Lower Mainland. An average of 40cm falls in just January alone, compared to Metro Vancouver, where the ten-year average for the entire winter is 24cm. With that, you have to step up your snow removal game. You take your average 1960’s snow plow and strap a jet-engine to it. Yes, you read that right. British Columbia’s MOT experimented with fitting a Pratt & Whitney turbine turboprop engine onto a snow plow.
A Fleet that gets the job done.
At Snow Queen we may not use jet-propelled snowplows, but our snow removal fleet of 1 to 2-ton trucks equipped with V-Blade & Straight-Blade plows, front-end loaders & ATV’s, combined with our 5 service yards located in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond, Surrey and Port Coquitlam Snow Queen is capable of serving any size property from mission-critical freight hubs to small residential strata.
Check out our snow removal services and discover why we are the right choice for your property’s winter services.
The Truck.
The truck itself weighed in at 14,106 kilograms, without loaded with salt. The actual engine only weighed 130 kgs, and had an output of 320 horsepower. Compare that to your average diesel engine used in a snow plow of this class weighs 907 kilograms and produces 250 horsepower. With a 0-50km/h in 10 seconds and able to climb a 6% grade at a constant speed of 65 km/h, it was a very effective engine.
This raises the question if it was such an effective engine, why did the Ministry of Transportation stop using it? Fuel Efficiency. Even though the engine was able to run on multiple different fuel types, from furnace oil to diesel. It burned through a lot more than your typical diesel engine would, the plow truck would not be able to make it very far without needing to be refueled. The truck was superb on long, straight stretches; however, Highway 3 is anything but straight.
What has been a mild first half of the winter season for the Lower Mainland, will change as Metro-Vancouver will be hit with a blast of cold arctic air. Currently, Cold Arctic air is over northern BC, which will transition over the week towards the BC coast and Vancouver.
On Tuesday, temperatures will continue to drop as more Arctic air is forced southwards. Strong winds, along with a brisk windchill are then expected to begin Tuesday overnight, with temperatures dropping 5 to 10 degrees below seasonal, marking this week to be the coldest conditions seen so far this winter season.
The average low for this time of season usually sits just above 0°, cities across the region Burnaby, Coquitlam, and Langley may drop to -11° overnight, with only reaching a high of -3° during the daytime. Included in those fridged temperatures is the potential for snow; combing an unstoppable force (Pacific moisture) and an immovable object (Arctic air) could lead to a very over-do snow event.
Why Choose Snow Queen? We Deliver Exceptional Service.
What was forecasted to be a monumental winter season for Vancouver with the strongest El’nino in a decade and the disruption of the polar vortex earlier than usual has turned out to be anything but monumental, which is to be expected with the unpredictable weather of British Columbia’s south coast.
Unpredictable is an understatement for those unfamiliar with south coast weather. It can be sunny in Maple Ridge, hailing in Langley, a downpour in Burnaby, and snowing in North Vancouver. Our A.I. Assisted 24/7 property and weather monitoring system ensures that we know what is happening on your site and how-to react accordingly. With our five operation centers and service yards in Vancouver, North Vancouver, Richmond, Port Coquitlam & Surrey, we can confidently provide snow removal service from Langley to Maple Ridge to Richmond, and cities in-between.
Snow Queen is the winter management choice for property owners and property managers that want reliable, hassle-free, trust-worthy snow removal and ice management services. We only use environmentally & pet-friendly de-icing agent to ensure the safety of fish-bearing streams & family pets, along with the reduction of corrosion on our customer’s property and vehicles.
Discover more about our Snow Removal or Ice Management services.
Call our office at (604) 359-8895 or contact us. Request a free, detailed quote today.