Up to 20 centimetres of snow is expected to fall on the highway between Hope and Merritt.JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press
Environment Canada is warning of heavy snow on the Coquihalla Highway and bitterly cold temperatures in British Columbia’s northwest as arctic air sweeps across the province.
Up to 20 centimetres of snow is expected to fall on the highway between Hope and Merritt before easing Sunday afternoon and the snow will also blanket nearby areas of the Fraser Canyon and Fraser Valley.
The weather agency warns that strong winds will blow the snow, at times reducing visibility suddenly to zero.
A frostbite warning is also in effect for the central and northern coasts and stretching inland to include communities like Kitimat, Stewart and Terrace.
Powerful coastal winds gusting near 80 km/h will combine with low temperatures to push wind chills down near -20 C.
Environment Canada says the cold will continue through Wednesday.
“If outside, dress warmly in layers and stay dry. Cover as much exposed skin as possible to avoid frostbite,” it says.
TransLink, Metro Vancouver’s transit authority, said Saturday it was preparing for traffic interference by calling in extra staff and getting ready to cut ice off trolley wires and put tire socks on some buses.
A snowstorm early this month stranded commuters in Metro Vancouver on roads for up to 12 hours.
In a letter to Transportation Minister Rob Fleming days after the storm, Delta Mayor George Harvie called the B.C. government to review its snow removal contracts and consider using its emergency alert system to better inform drivers of dangerous road conditions.
The Transportation Ministry said it was reviewing the response to determine if there were additional measures that could be taken in future weather events.