Skip to content

Coquihalla and other B.C. highways to see abrupt return to winter

Winter has made a comeback
11109025_web1_171214-NTC-ArgoSnowPlowb0b5a5

Yesterday may have been the first official day of spring, but that hasn’t stopped wintry conditions from making a comeback.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for mountain passes across the Southern Interior.

It affects the Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna, then the Coquihalla Highway, from Hope to Merritt, then Merritt to Kamloops. Highway 3, Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass is also included in the weather statement.

“A frontal wave will move across southern B.C. on Thursday,” reads the report. “The warm front will bring some rain and rising freezing levels Thursday morning. However, the cold front will be quite potent and arrive as early as Thursday afternoon.”

READ MORE: SPRING WILL BE SPRUNG… IN A WEEK OR SO

The passage of the cold front will result in a sudden change in precipitation from rain to heavy snow over the highways resulting in reduced visibility and possible rapid accumulation of snow. A rapid drop in temperature and snow level will also accompany the cold front.

Travellers are advised to exercise caution if travelling late Thursday and to be aware of rapidly changing road conditions.

Road conditions are available at www.drivebc.ca.

Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.tempetepacifique-pacificstorm.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #BCStorm.