Photo: DriveBC

Traffic backed up on the Coquihalla at Box Canyon, about 60 kilometres south of Merritt, just before 4 p.m. on Friday.

UPDATE: 6:40 a.m.

Highway 5 Southbound has reopened from Merritt to Exit 202, Portia Interchange. 

Highway 3 has reopened in both directions 30 km west of Princeton.

UPDATE: 9:35 p.m.

DriveBC reports that the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt could reopen at midnight.

The mountain highway was closed in both directions just before 4:30 p.m. due to a crash.

There's no indication on when the Hope-Princeton highway could reopen, which was closed at about 6:30 p.m. due to a crash just east of Manning Park. 

The nature of both vehicle incidents remains unknown.

UPDATE: 6:35 p.m.

A vehicle collision has closed the Hope-Princeton Highway in both directions, 30 kilometres west of Princeton, according to DriveBC.

No detour is available and the estimated time of reopening is not known. The nature of the crash also is not known.

The Coquihalla Highway also remains closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt due to a vehicle incident that occurred just before 4:30 p.m.

Both highways, as well as the Okanagan Connector, are under a snowfall warning issued by Environment Canada. Up to 15 centimetres of snow is expected by the overnight hours on all of those routes.

ORIGINAL: 4:30 p.m.

The Coquihalla Highway is closed in both directions between Hope and Merritt due to a vehicle incident, DriveBC reports.

The nature of the collision is not known, and no estimated time of reopening has been provided.

A travel advisory has also been implemented by DriveBC for the Coquihalla between Hope and Merritt. Highway cams show heavy congestion at Box Canyon, 60 kilometres north of Hope.

"Travellers are advised to use extreme caution, leave ample room to stop and be prepared for delays," DriveBC states.

Heavy snowfall is expected on many mountain highways in the Southern Interior on Friday evening, according to a snowfall warning issued by Environment Canada late Friday afternoon. 

Included in the warning is the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt, the Okanagan Connector and the Hope-Princeton Highway.

On all of those routes, 15 centimetres of snow is expected this evening before snowfall tapers off overnight.

Road conditions can be found at drivebc.ca.