Brace for it: Snow set to hit B.C. Interior hard Monday and Tuesday

A winter storm warning is in effect for parts of the B.C. Interiorwith up to 25 centimetres of snow predicted for the Kootenay, Boundary and Elk Valley Regions.

Drivers in the Southern Interior are warned to prepare for snow on the highways over the next few days.

Both storm and snowfall warnings are in effect as a Pacific front moves across the Interior over the next 24 to 48 hours.

Up to 15centimetres of snow is expected on theCoquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt, with snowfallmatching that amount Tuesday.

The Trans Canada Highway could be covered in up to 25 centimetres of snow, hitting the Eagle and Rogers Pass areas Monday. Snow is also expected to hit the Paulson and Kootenay passes both days, with up to 25 centimetres of snowfall expected.

Officialsclosed the the Trans Canada Highway, west of RevelstokeB.C. this morning for blasting to control avalanches, but it's now reopened.

Special weather warnings were issued for the Arrow Lakes,Slocan and Nicola Valley and other parts of the Southern Interiorwhere several fronts were expected to meet and cause "significant" snowfall of up to 25 centimetres, especially near the U.S. border, with colderweather, with daytime highs at below zero and overnight lows between 10 Cand 15 C, brought in by an Arctic Front by Thursday.