Winter driving conditions with heavy snow in mountain passes

SNOWFALL WARNING FOR SOUTH THOMPSON

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – The heavy snow is forecast on the highways through mountain passes in the southern Interior today, Nov. 14, and overnight will make travel a challenge, and winter tires or chains a necessity.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning of up to 40 centimetres of snow in some of the passes in the area. A separate snowfall warning predicts up to 15 cm of snow for higher elevations in the Kamloops area.

A low-pressure system developing off the Oregon coast is to blame for the snow which is falling in the coastal mountain passes and will spread east as the day progresses.

The snow will become heavy at times later today and tonight as the low moves into the Interior, the statement says.

The forecast calls for 20 to 40 cm of snow over the higher sections of the Coquihalla Highway, Okanagan Connector and the Allison Pass on Highway 3. About 15 cm is expected in the Rogers Pass on the Trans Canada.

Environment Canada has also issued a snowfall warning for the South Thompson, including Kamloops.

The same low-pressure system will dump up to 15 cm of snow over higher terrain near Kamloops. Freezing levels will drop overnight bringing wet snow to the valley bottom by tomorrow morning.

Drive B.C. is reporting winter driving conditions on all the high elevation highways in the region today with sections of compact snow, slushy and slippery sections.

For the latest forecasts and warnings go to Environment Canada’s website.

The latest highway conditions can be found at Drive B.C.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Howard Alexander at halexander@infonews.ca. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.