Coquihalla to get up to to 25 centimetres of snow

Environment Canada has extended its weather warning for the Coquihalla, warning motorists that the stretch of highway between Merritt and Hope is expected to get up to  25 centimetres of snow.

"An approaching low-pressure system will give snow to the southern highway passes today," an alert from the national weather service states.

"Snow will begin over the Coquihalla Summit near midday and then spread to Kootenay Pass this afternoon. The snow is forecast to intensify tonight as the low nears."

Total snowfall accumulations of up to 25 cm can be expected before the snow tapers off to a few flurries early Saturday morning.

Rapidly accumulating snow will make travel difficult, Environment Canada warned.

Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions.

Road conditions are available at www.drivebc.ca.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Kathy Michaels or call 250-718-0428 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.