233159
232902

Kelowna  

Don't travel till weekend

Alanna Kelly

If you are planning on braving the mountain passes this holiday season, you should wait until this weekend. 

Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonald says the Coquihalla summit will receive 50 centimetres of snow by Wednesday afternoon. 

If you're driving on the Coquihalla Tuesday night, rain will switch back into snow.

“We are expected heavy snow at times, so slippery conditions with limited visibility,” said MacDonald. “If you don’t have to absolutely drive the Coquihalla tonight, it might be ideal to postpone your travels.” 

Winter storm and snowfalls warnings are in effect across B.C.’s Southern Interior. 

A total of 23 cm of snow has already fallen at higher elevations on the Coquihalla and another 20 to 30 is expected by the middle of Wednesday.

Environment Canada has posted winter storm warnings for the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt and for Highway 3 from the Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass.

“The Okanagan Connector has picked up 10 cm today and it is mostly easing off,” said MacDonald. 

Another area that is expected to be hard hit is Rogers Pass.

“They can expect another 10 tonight and five tomorrow,” he said. 

Another storm is expected to come through on Thursday, but will be warmer. 

“The Coquihalla will switch over to rain after some snow Thursday morning, and the same goes for Rogers Pass. That snow will get pretty wet on Thursday afternoon."

Travel conditions are expected to be much better into the weekend.



More Kelowna News