Flurries expected on high-elevation B.C. highways Saturday overnight
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for the B.C. southern interior mountain passes
Drivers planning to travel through mountain passes in B.C.'s Interior this long weekend are being warned to prepare for flurries and challenging road conditions.
Environment Canada issued a special weather statement Saturday afternoon, advising of snowfall at higher elevations along several key highway routes.
This includes the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Merritt, and Merritt to Kamloops; Highway 3 between Paulson Summit and Kootenay Pass; the Okanagan Connector between Merritt and Kelowna; and Highway 3 near Princeton through the Allison Pass.
"An upper disturbance passing through the B.C. interior is expected to drop the snow levels overnight tonight to around 1,500 metres," the special weather statement reads.
❄️🌧️ A special weather statement from Environment Canada has been issued for the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BC</a> southern interior mountain passes. Wet flurries are possible from tonight until Sunday morning. Be prepared to adjust your driving as road conditions change. 🚗<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy5?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCHwy5</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCHwy1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BCHwy3?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BCHwy3</a>…
—@DriveBCSnowfall amounts are expected to be minimal, between a trace up to five centimetres, and rising temperatures on Sunday are expected to melt much of it.
The federal forecaster is urging drivers to use caution and be prepared for sudden changes in road and weather conditions at higher elevations.
"Slow down and maintain a safe following distance," the agency said in its alert. "Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions."
Environment Canada encourages travellers to check road conditions through DriveBC, and monitor forecasts and alerts.
The weather statement is in effect until Sunday morning.