VANCOUVER — Travellers using mountain passes around southern and southeastern British Columbia are facing challenging conditions and travel is not recommended in some areas as heavy snow blankets many routes.
Environment Canada has issued winter storm warnings for most major passes to and from the Interior, including the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt where total snowfall of up to 35 centimetres is possible by Friday morning.
Drive BC, the province's online travel information system, says Highway 1 between Revelstoke and Golden is closed until at least 8 p.m. for avalanche control and no detour is available.
The weather office also warns of hazardous conditions on the Squamish to Whistler section of the Sea-to-Sky Highway as between 15 to 25 centimetres of snow is forecast through the day.
Rainfall warnings are posted for Metro Vancouver and many other areas of the south coast, while eastern Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast continue to be buffeted by winds reaching 70 km/h.
As much as 100 millimetres of rain is forecast for parts of Vancouver Island, and Environment Canada warns heavy downpours can cause flash flooding or water pooling on roads, but it also says the latest weather system should ease as the front passes late Thursday.