iN TRAFFIC: Snow and slippery sections on Thompson-Okanagan highways

Light snow that fell on much of the Thompson-Okanagan region this morning, Nov. 21, is making many roads slippery and slushy.

That’s expected to get worse with up to 15 cm of snow expected over the Coquihalla Highway tonight. That snow is forecast to hit valley bottoms as well, with 2 cm forecast for Kamloops by Tuesday morning.

A special weather statement was issued by Environment Canada this morning for Cariboo, North Columbia, North Thompson, West Columbia, Shuswap, Trans-Canada Highway – Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass.

"An intense Pacific frontal system will move across the British Columbia Interior tonight through Tuesday," the warning says. "Light snow from the system will intensify late tonight and will persist through Tuesday. The snow is expected to taper off to a few flurries Tuesday evening as the front moves to the south."

Highways are already impacted.

DriveBC warns of slippery sections for 100 km from nine kilometres north of the Coquihalla Summit to 8 km north of the Surrey Lake Summit.

There’s also construction to contend with this week on the Coquihalla Highway.

Utility work is planned for Exit 228, the Coquihalla Lakes Road, from 8:30 a.m. today through Dec. 2. There will be lane closures with three-minute delays in the northbound lanes.

Work is planned between Exit 202 (Portia) and Exit 228 (Coquihalla Lakes Road) for almost 27 km. The right lane will be closed northbound through Dec. 2.

There will also be road work from 13 km to 3 km south of Kamloops from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a northbound lane closure.

DriveBC reported slippery and slushy sections on Highway 1 from 6 km east of Kamloops to 15 east of Chase early this morning.

There were slippery sections for most of the Okanagan Connector with compact snow between the Pennask Summit and West Kelowna.

Slushy sections continued along Highway 97 through Kelowna to Coldstream.

Highway 3 had slippery sections from 32 km west of Princeton to Hedley.

The snow is not likely to melt today as Kamloops and Kelowna are expected to have highs of only -2 Celsius, Vernon -3 C and Penticton 0 C.

The skies are forecast to clear to a mix of sun and cloud in Kamloops and the Okanagan today.

Snow is expected to start after midnight in Kamloops with accumulations of 2 cm. Later it will hit Vernon and Kelowna has a 60% chance of flurries. No snow is forecast for Penticton.

At the ski hills, Big White has a 72 cm alpine base and it was -2 C at about 6:30 a.m. Sun Peaks has 47 cm and a temperature of -4 C at the top of the mountain. Silver Star has 74 cm.

 – This article was updated at 8:12 a.m., Nov. 21, 2022 to add special weather statement.

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