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METRO VANCOUVER - A snowstorm mixed with hail has made some Burnaby roads treacherous, creating traffic jams and forcing some buses to find another route.

"We're getting a lot of reports of congestion," said Burnaby RCMP Cpl. Brenda Gresiuk. "It's a bit of a train wreck out there."

According to Gresiuk, commuters are faced with a tough slog going up inclines such as Royal Oak hill, Cariboo hill and up Gaglardi Way to Simon Fraser University.

"We're advising motorists that conditions are treacherous and if you don't need to be out on the roads, please stay off the roads," said Gresiuk.

She said the afternoon commute is going to be affected by the snow that began in the city just after 9 a.m.

The snow disrupted bus service to Simon Fraser University, and there has been one crash on Gaglardi Way, TransLink spokesman Drew Snider says.

Snider said the weather also caused delays in various parts of Metro Vancouver's transit sytem, including Canada Way at Imperial, which was closed by snow.

Snow fell in Vancouver early in the afternoon, including at City Hall and downtown Vancouver.

Environment Canada is calling for rain showers this afternoon in Metro Vancouver, but that's expected to change to light snow after midnight, with up to four centimetres falling through until Friday morning.

Whether the snow accumlates is a question of temperature, though, and with a forecast low of plus two, it's unlikely it will stick except in higher elevations.

The skies are expected to clear Friday, however, with sunshine forecast for Saturday and temperatures dropping to minus two.

There is no more mention of snow in the forecast until Monday, but above-freezing temperatures are also forecast, with a low of plus two, so that could fall as rain.

Meanwhile, Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the Sunshine Coast, with 10 to 15 centimetres of snow expected through to Friday morning.

Environment Canada also issued a snowfall warning for Nanaimo and eastern Vancouver Island, forecasting up to 15 centimetres of snow.

Several south coastal regions on the Island are expected to be hit with 10-15 centimetres of snow tonight into Friday morning.

A low-pressure system over the south coast of B.C. is expected to draw a cold air mass down the coast today.

Combined with a moist and unstable circulation, experts say the system is expected to bring snow for many south coastal regions. Eastern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast are forecast to see up to 15 centimetres of snow while the Lower Mainland is expected to see only five centimetres.

Weather experts say this will likely start as mixed rain and wet snow in some areas today, transitioning into snow this evening and overnight. Snow is expected to taper into flurries on Friday morning.

with files from the Burnaby Now and the Victoria Times Colonist