Parts of Coquihalla, Highway 3 closed as winter weather hits B.C. Interior
Credit to Author: Cayley Dobie| Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2019 15:41:36 +0000
The Coquihalla highway is closed Friday morning to northbound traffic thanks to a winter storm currently hammering B.C.’s southern Interior.
Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton, meanwhile, is closed to all traffic, according to Drive BC.
#BCHwy5 #Coquihalla NB Closed #HopeBC to #Merritt due to vehicle incidents & weather conditions. Detour via #BCHwy1
Environment Canada has issued a winter storm warning for much of the Coquihalla Highway and Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton. These areas are expected to get as much as 60 centimetres of snow by Saturday afternoon, according to the warning.
Heavy snowfall is also expected to blanket the connector between Merritt and Kelowna well into Saturday.
REMINDER – CLOSED – #BCHwy3 is closed in both directions between #HopeBC and #PrincetonBC due to vehicle incidents. Assessment in progress. No estimated time of opening. Next update 7:00 AM.
Highway 3 cameras here: https://t.co/3tMGTsCWJC
More info here: https://t.co/1vug2nYawv
As of 7:30 a.m. on Friday, the only way to get from the Lower Mainland into the Interior was via Highway 1 and the Fraser Canyon. Between 10 and 20 cm of snow was expected in the Canyon, with snow turning to rain later this morning, according to Environment Canada.
Both Highway 3 and the Coquihalla have been closed on and off since Thursday evening, when heavy snow began to fall in the area.
Drivers travelling through the mountains today are reminded to take extra precaution and be prepared for changing driving conditions.
Winter tires or chains are required on most routes in the province, including Highway 1, 3 and the Coquihalla from October 1 to April 30.
For updates on road conditions and closures go to drivebc.ca.
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