Weather warnings in effect as snow arrives in B.C.
Parts of Coquihalla, Highway 3 expect heavy snow
For information on highway conditions and closures, check DriveBC.
For environment warnings and alerts, check Environment Canada.
For tips on preparing your vehicle for winter, click here.
November has arrived, and so havethe snow spells that bedevilB.C.'s highways.
On Thursday, Environment Canada said southern interior highway passes could see up to 30 centimetres of snow before the weather tapers off around midnight.At least 10centimetresare expected in the eastern regions.
Several sections of Highways 3, 1, 97C and the Coquihallawereclosed temporarily Thursday night. All have since reopened, although traffic advisories are still in effect and drivers are being toldto use caution.
Snowfall warnings are in effect for the following stretches as of 10 p.m.:
- Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt.
- Coquihalla from Merritt to Kamloops and Kelowna.
- Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna.
- Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton, via Allison Pass.
- Highway 3 from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass.
Traveling to or from the interior? Dont! #BCHwy5 #BCHwy1 and #BCHwy3 are all closed. Check @DriveBC for the latest. pic.twitter.com/CTsCRCsvna
—@ChadHarrisBC
Regional snowfall warnings have been issued for the Boundary, Nicola, Okanagan Valley, Shuswap, Similkameen, South Thompson and Kootenay areas.
The white stuff started to fall in Burnaby, Langley, Chilliwack, West Vancouver, Nanoose Bay, White Rock across the Interior and in many other citieson Thursday afternoon.
Several flights in and out of KelownaInternational Airport were cancelled Thursday night due to the weather. In Princeton, inns were full as truckers parked for the night due to closed roads.
Safe for night in Princeton B.C. where people are lining up for motel rooms after #BCHwy3 closure. on car from time it took to check in pic.twitter.com/kzlet28Ci4
—@lisasj
@JWagstaffe snowing like crazy in Chilliwack. Guess fire season is finally over! pic.twitter.com/noEPzAK2Rw
—@firebobbc
Snow in Abbotsford! Expected to keep up through tonight. @cbcnewsbc pic.twitter.com/teTDpSJsGr
—@rhiannaschmunk
Environment Canada meteorologist Alyssa Charbonneau said a combination of Arctic air and moist air coming off the Pacific Ocean is causing the heavy, wet snow in parts of the province.
"The cold air is just moving into place," Charbonneau told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops.
The agency said mixed rain is still a possibility into Friday morning, with cooler weather expected all weekend.
Snowing in Comox! From Angus TBone on CBC Vancouver Island FB page #bcstorm pic.twitter.com/LgmmweUhcI
—@JWagstaffe
In case you missed it, #Winter has hit the #Okanagan & hard! #YLW #Kelowna #Vernon @Tourism_Kelowna @TourismVernon #ExploreBC #BCstorm pic.twitter.com/0bcJiB1Ibs
—@sh_wt