Heavy snow expected on Interior mountain passes today

A dump of snow is expected over high elevation highways in the Interior this afternoon and tonight, which will make travel to the Lower Mainland and Alberta a challenge.

Environment Canada has issued a heavy snowfall warning for the Coquihalla Highway from Merritt to Hope, the Trans Canada Highway from Rogers Pass to Eagle Pass and Highway 3 from Kootenay Pass to Paulson Summit.

Forecasters say a slow moving frontal system will move through the southwest Interior this afternoon, Nov. 19, before moving across the Kootenays tonight.

At the Coquihalla Summit, the light snow will become heavier this afternoon and continue until midnight dumping between 15 to 25 centimetres by tomorrow morning.

The off and on flurries at Rogers Pass today will intensify with 10 centimetres expected this afternoon and another 10 centimetres overnight.

The weather warning calls for the snow on the Kootenay Pass to begin falling late this afternoon leaving behind 20 centimetres by early tomorrow morning.

In the valley bottoms the frontal system means rain showers thanks to temperatures well above the freezing mark.

For the latest weather warnings and forecasts go to the Environment Canada website here.

The most up-to-date highway conditions can be found at the Drive B.C. website here.

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