Snowfall warning remains in effect on Coquihalla and Connector

KELOWNA – It’s still a challenging drive from between the southern Interior and the Lower Mainland today thanks to the heavy snowfall on the upper elevation highways.

A moist and unstable flow of air from the Pacific is behind the snowfall warning continued today, Jan. 31, by Environment Canada for both the Coquihalla Highway from Merritt to Hope and the Okanagan Connector from Kelowna to Merritt.

About 10 centimetres of snow fell last night at the Coquihalla and Pennask Summits. Another 10 cm is forecast for the mountain passes this morning before the snow eases to flurries this afternoon. A few more centimetres of snow could fall overnight as well.

The warning reminds people to adjust their driving with changing road conditions and prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions on upper elevation highways.

“If visibility is reduced while driving, slow down, watch for tail lights ahead and be prepared to stop,” the warning says.

Between 2 to 4 cm of snow fell in the North and Central Okanagan overnight leaving highways in the valley bottoms slushy and slippery. The forecast calls for a chance of flurries for the rest of the day.

The South Okanagan was spared any significant snowfall overnight with a chance of flurries or showers today.

In the South Thompson, roads and highways at lower elevations are mostly wet this morning. There’s a chance of flurries this morning, changing to rain showers this afternoon.

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

For the latest road conditions check out Drive B.C.’s website.

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.