iN TRAFFIC: Watch out for winter conditions on several Interior highways

Highways throughout the Interior may be lacking friction today.

DriveB.C. is reporting a long stretch of Highway 1 to have slippery sections – from Back Valley Road which is 8 kilometres east of Cache Creek, to Perry River Bridge which is 25 km east of Sicamous.

Highway 3 has compact snow and slushy areas for 71 km from Garret Road to Daly Avenue, between Princeton and Hedley. There are also slippery sections for 29 km between Snazaist Street and Innis Place, from Hedley to Keremeos.

Highway 3A has slippery sections for 31 km from Keremeos and Junction Hwy 97 near Kaleden.

Northbound traffic along Highway 33 can expect minor delays as it's down to one lane for 3 km while utility work is being completed between Goshawk Road and Daves Road.

As of this afternoon, police are telling motorists to expect delays on Highway 5 between Othello Road and Merritt – a stretch of 102 km. There is a police incident, the road is closed and Highways 3 and 5A are being used as a detour.

This morning on Highway 5, 32 km of limited visibility, fog and compact snow were reported between the Helmer Road exit and West Kamloops. There was also compact snow for 46 km from East Kamloops and Dianna Road, and for 35 km from Planet Mine Road to Hillside Way.

Southbound traffic on Highway 5 will be reduced to a single lane during a vehicle recovery planned between McLure Ferry Road and Walterdale Road.

On Highway 97, motorists are advised to watch for slipper sections and fog patches for 37 kms between Crystal Waters Road and Grandview Flats Road North.

Highway 97A may have slippery sections for 56 km from the start of Highway 97A and Davidson Drive, between Enderby and Sicamous.

Highway 97B also might have slippery sections, which have been reported on a 5 km stretch between Black Road and the end of Highway 97B.

And Westside Road in West Kelowna also has slippery sections for 42 km from Shelter Cove to Highway 97.

Charles Andrews, who commutes from Armstrong to Sicamous on Highway 97A, said the roads were mostly bare and wet this morning with some slushy sections.

“Lots of sand in the corners,” Andrews reported shortly after 6 a.m. “Some fog patches between Armstrong and Enderby and around Grindrod.”

For weather, Kamloops is looking at a high of 2 degrees Celsius and low of 1 C. Vernon will see a high off 1 C and low of -4 C. Kelowna is in for a high of 2 C and low of -3 C. Penticton can expect a high of 5 C and low of 1 C.

Looking at the ski resorts, Big White got 10 centimetres of new snow over the past 12 hours and 21 cm in the past 24 hours. The Bullet Express Quad Chair is opening for the season today, and the Black Forest Chair opens Friday, Nov. 25. Sun Peaks is reporting 2 cm of new snow and 11 cm over the past 24 hours.

— This story was updated at 9:10 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, to add new information about Highway 33 and Highway 5.

— This story was updated at 2:54 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, to add new information and photos.

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