More heavy snow, extreme cold expected for parts of B.C., Environment Canada warns

Environment Canada is advising British Columbia residents to be prepared as extreme cold is expected to return to parts of north and easternB.C. into Monday.

The weather office says wind chill values could plummet as low as-50C across many areas of the north,with the cold set to last until the end of the week though winds should ease Tuesday.

On the central and north coasts, wind chill values as low as -20 C are expected.

Snow storms are also forecast to continue in the province's southeast, with some areas expected to get up to 40 centimetresby the end of Monday.

Snow is also continuing to blanket theFraser Canyonand the Coquihalla Highwaybetween Hope and Merritt, the weather office says.

Early Monday, a 40-kilometre stretch of Highway 1 north of Yale was closed due to avalanche risk, while Highway 3 was scheduled to be closed at Kootenay Pass until around 9 a.m. PT for avalanche control work.