Coq reopens southbound

Photo: Val Palmer

A car rolled down an embankment off Dilworth Drive Saturday morning.

UPDATE: 7:55 p.m.

The southbound lanes of the Coquihalla Highway have reopened near Merritt, according to DriveBC.

The highway was closed for about three-and-a-half hours due to "spun out semi trucks," DriveBC reported in an earlier update.

Motorists can expect congestion and lengthy delays.

UPDATE: 4:30 p.m.

Southbound traffic on the Coquihalla Highway has come to a standstill near Merritt after a vehicle crash closed the highway Saturday afternoon. 

DriveBC says the crash is being assessed, and there is currently no estimated time of reopening.

The northbound lanes of the Coquihalla remain open. 

The highway is blanketed in snow, and reportedly slippery. 

Emergency crews in Kelowna are keeping busy as well. A car and a van collided on Shannon Lake Road near Bartley Road at about 4 p.m.

Fire crews are on scene, and a witness says no one was seriously injured. 

UPDATE: 10:55 a.m.

The two people inside a car that rolled down an embankment on Dilworth Mountain Saturday morning escaped without any serious injuries. 

The single-vehicle crash occurred just after 10 a.m. near Omenica Place, on the slippery Dilworth Drive.  

Fire crews and ambulance are now on scene.

UPDATE: 10:05 a.m.

Travel is treacherous on the high-elevation mountain passes Saturday morning, as snow continues to blanket the road. 

A pickup truck and a semi-truck collided on the Okanagan Connector near Elkhart Road just after 9 a.m., tearing the back end off the pickup truck. 

It's believed the occupants of the truck avoided any serious injuries, but they were shaken up. 

Travellers are reporting similar conditions on the Coquihalla as well, and a travel advisory remains in effect for both highways. 

Travellers at lower elevations are facing slippery conditions as well. A Castanet reader reports that multiple vehicles have gone off the road on Highway 97, between Summerland and Penticton.

Emergency crews are responding to several crashes around Kelowna, including a single-vehicle rollover near Dilworth Drive and Omenica Place.

Snow is expected to continue until Saturday night, with upwards of 30 cm expected to fall at higher elevations. 

 ORIGINAL: 8:10 a.m.

A snowfall warning remains in effect for the entire Okanagan.

According to Environment Canada, up to 25 cm of snow is expected to fall before the day is over.

A strong Pacific low pressure system will move eastward across northern Washington State today, bringing with it a lot of the white stuff.

Snow began falling early this morning, and is expected to ease tonight.

In addition, strong winds and areas of blowing snow are expected.

A snowfall warning has been issued for the Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna with 15-25 cm expected to fall on the mountain road.

Road conditions are available at www.drivebc.ca.

Photo: Deni Leigh Daniels

A semi-truck and a pickup collided on the Okanagan Connector Saturday morning.