Wet snow forecast for B.C. Southern Interior mountain passes

Wet snow on highways

Photo: DriveBC

Highway 3 near the Paulson Summit,

Travellers are being warned that driving conditions on B.C. Southern Interior mountain passes may be less than ideal today.

Environment Canada on Tuesday issued a special weather statement, warning of snow near summits on the Okanagan Connector, from Merritt to Kelowna; Highway 3, from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass; the Coquihalla Highway, from Hope to Merritt and Merritt to Kamloops; and Highway 3, from Princeton via Allison Pass.

"A cool airmass has settled over British Columbia with snow falling over the interior highway passes," reads the alert from the national weather agency.

"Snow levels have lowered to near 1,200 metres and the risk of snowfall is possible once again for the Coquihalla Highway, and Highway 3, Princeton via Allison Pass with accumulations between a trace to five centimetres."

Over Paulson Summit and Kootenay Pass, wet snow will end by this afternoon. Snowfall accumulations from trace to five centimetres are expected.