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Snowfall warnings, travel advisories in effect for Okanagan highways

The major Okanagan highways are expecting anywhere from 10-25 cm of snow
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The Coquihalla Highway (pictured just after 5 a.m.) is expected 15-25 cm of snow on Wednesday, Jan. 17 and snow will fall across the Okanagan throughout the day. (DriveBC Traffic Cams)

Snowfall warnings and travel advisories are scattered across the Okanagan and Interior on Wednesday.

Environment Canada updated their snowfall warnings just after 5 a.m. on Jan. 17 and continue to state that the Central Okanagan (West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country), South Okanagan from Summerland to Osoyoos, and north up to Enderby are expected 15-20 cm of snow throughout the day.

This warning also effects five Okanagan highways:

  • Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt;
  • Coquihalla Highway from Merritt to Kamloops;
  • Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton;
  • Okanagan Connector from Merritt to West Kelowna;
  • Trans-Canada Highway from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass.

Highway 3 is forecasted to take on 10-20 cm of snow, while the Trans-Canada Highway from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass is expecting 15-20 cm. Both stretches of the Coquihalla and the Okanagan Connector could experience up to 25 cm of snow.

Because of this, multiple travel advisories have also been put in place. Those are in effect for the five stretches of highway above as well as the Trans-Canada Highway (Highway 1) between Hope and Lytton. One of the reasons this has been put in place is because visibility will be reduced at times due to the heavy snowfall.

The snow is expected to come to stop by the end of the day.

READ MORE: 1 dead in chain reaction semi truck crash on Coquihalla

READ MORE: Vehicle rolls over on Highway 97 near Vernon



Jordy Cunningham

About the Author: Jordy Cunningham

Hailing from Ladner, B.C., I have been passionate about sports, especially baseball, since I was young. In 2018, I graduated from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops with a Bachelor of Journalism degree
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