Environment Canada has issued a snowfall warning for the Coquihalla highway between Merritt and Hope.

It’s as a Pacific weather system could bring up to 25 centimetres of snow along sections of the highway. Heavy snow is expected overnight into tomorrow, before easing up tomorrow morning, Dec. 12.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Doug Lundquist notes the heaviest snow will be on the southern portions of the Coquihalla.

But he says there’s also the possibility for 2 to 5 cm snow tonight as far north as here in Kamloops.

“That 2 to 5 cm that we’re going to see, that’s the exact same type of snowfall we’re expecting on the Merritt to Kelowna and Merritt to Kamloops sections of the highway,” he said. “The heaviest amount is primarily the coast side, that up slope area.”

Lundquist says the snow will not melt right away despite the warmer temperatures this week.

“It’ll help to melt a little bit, but it’s not going to melt instantly, so it’s going to be that kind of thaw-freeze cycle, wet at times and slushy, maybe icy at points, especially at night or early in the morning,” Lundquist noted. “So it is kind of a nasty pattern that way.”

As well, he is urging caution as it could also be foggy at times on the highways.

“It’s the time of year, there’s almost always fog depends on what type of air mass we have,” Lundquist said. “And this type of moist air mass lends to that fogginess, certainly over that high terrain where that low cloud hits the mountain sides, it can be fairly close to zero visibility in fog.”

 

As always, you’ll find the latest road conditions at Drive BC.