A slow-moving arctic front is bringing the first snow of the season to many parts of B.C.
Travellers on B.C.’s mountain highways and parts of Columbia and Kootenay regions should be prepared for snow.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for five to 10 centimetres of snow to fall in those areas.
The Coquihalla from Hope to Kamloops, Highway 3 Hope to Princeton and the Okanagan Connector could see 5 to 10 centimeters of snow Monday night and into Tuesday morning.
Gordon says, “This snow will be very spotty. Due to the convective nature of this arctic front drivers may encounter brief periods of rapidly accumulating snow.”
These same highways could see another five to 10 centimetres late Tuesday into Wednesday morning.
The snow is expected to start falling Monday and continue until Tuesday evening for the Highway 1 from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass, West Columbia, East Columbia, Yoho and Kootenay Park, Kinbasket, East Kootenay and Elk Valley regions.
Global BC meteorologist Kristi Gordon said temperatures in the Interior will remain well below seasonal all week.
Daytime highs may reach only one to three degrees in Kelowna on Thursday and Friday, Gordon added. The average high for this time in that region is nine degrees and overnight lows could be down to -5 C, Gordon said.
B.C. drivers are reminded that winter tires are required on B.C. highways starting Oct. 1.
In addition, a special weather statement has been issued for north Vancouver Island, Courtenay to Campbell River on east Vancouver Island and inland Vancouver Island due to the possibility of wet snow over high elevations.
Areas above 250 metres on Highway 4, Highway 19 and Highway 28 Tuesday and Tuesday night could see some accumulation, depending on the intensity of the precipitation.
Higher elevations such as Port Alberni summit between Coombs and Port Alberni and Sutton Pass between Port Alberni and Kennedy Lake will likely see wet snow, according to Environment Canada. Higher elevations of Highway 28 between Gold River and Campbell River and Highway 19 between Port Hardy and Campbell River will also see snow.
Other areas will see periods of heavy rain, however, including Duncan to Nanaimo and Nanoose Bay to Fanny Bay on east Vancouver Island, Greater Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands.
Those areas could receive between 30 to 50 millimetres Tuesday into the evening.