Heavy, late-season snowfall forecast for B.C.'s Coquihalla Highway

Drivers on British Columbia's Coquihalla Highway between Hope andMerritt are being warned to prepare for a heavy, late-seasonsnowfall through Saturday.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for thearea, as well as for Highway 3 from the Paulson Summit to KootenayPass.

It says up to 25 centimetres is expected as a "robust'' frontalsystem starts to spread light to moderate snow, which will intensifyin the evening and persist through Saturday.

Warming road surfaces initially could mean significantsnow won't accumulate until later this evening.

The weather agency says the snow will start later in the PaulsonSummit to Kootenay Pass area, with heavy snow persisting throughSaturday evening.

It says weather in the mountains can change suddenly, resultingin hazardous driving conditions.