Heavy snowfall begins
Photo: DriveBC
Highway 5 northbound at Zopkios Rest Area near the Coquihalla Summit looking north.
Winter is returning to Southern Interior mountain passes in dramatic and potentially hazardous fashion.
Environment Canada has issued warnings for the Coquihalla, Highway 3 and Trans Canada Highway for heavy snow that could bring dangerous driving conditions. There’s a wind warning in place for all of these highways, also.
From Hope to Merritt on the Coquihalla, snow is expected to start falling Tuesday morning and will carry on until Wednesday night. When all is said and done, 25 to 35 centimetres of snow is expected near the summit.
“Snowfall totals for today during the day are five to 10 cm, while 10 to 20 cm is expected overnight with an additional 10 to 15 cm likely on Wednesday,” the weather warning reads.
“Snow may be at times mixed with rain late this afternoon and this evening as the snow levels rise to near the summit. Areas south of the summit are expected to see rain, with totals ranging 40 to 50 mm.”
In addition, wind gusts are expected to pick up overnight, with gusts ranging up to 70 km/h which could lead to local blowing snow along the route.
On Highway 3, from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass, and on the Trans-Canada Highway from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass somewhere between 20 to 30 cm of snowfall is expected and strong winds will also accompany that weather.
Environment Canada said, at its peak, the snowfall may leave near zero visibility due to wind.
Light snow from the system will start this afternoon and intensify tonight. The snow will continue into Wednesday morning with total accumulations up to 30 cm expected.
