As snow blanketed parts of Vancouver Island Friday, Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning and encouraged motorists to be ready for slick conditions.

Five to 10 centimetres of snow was expected to fall on the mid-island, including Courtenay to Campbell River, Duncan to Nanaimo and Nanoose Bay to Fanny Bay.

The wintry precipitation will likely taper off in the evening but drivers should take precautions for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions, Environment Canada said.

The heavy, wet snow blanketed Nanaimo neighbourhoods in a matter of minutes.

Further south, several flights were delayed at Victoria International Airport due to the poor weather conditions.

Extreme cold also grounded flights in Vancouver, where freezing rain wreaked havoc Friday, as well as flights in Calgary and other parts of the Prairies.

Harbour Air Seaplanes cancelled all of its flights just after 1 p.m., citing weather as the cause.