Wintry weather to continue to hit parts of B.C.

More wintry weather is expected to hit parts of B.C. on Tuesday, and there’s a mix of heavy snow and rain in the forecast.

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Howe Sound, Whistler and the Sea to Sky Highway, warning that from Tuesday evening to Wednesday conditions could become challenging for commuters.

“For most regions, except Whistler and the Sea to Sky Highway, snow levels will be hovering near the surface, and precipitation will start as rain mixed with snow Tuesday evening,” the national weather agency said in its message.

“Snowfall accumulations are expected to vary greatly with elevation and proximity to the water.”

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Environment Canada said there’s a “warming southwesterly flow aloft,” and snow levels will rise overnight resulting in mixed precipitation changing to moderate to heavy rain late Tuesday night or early Wednesday.

“During this transition, there is also a risk of freezing rain over the Fraser Valley as warm air overrides the cold air in the valley,” Environment Canada said.

For Whistler and the Sea to Sky Highway, precipitation will start as snow Tuesday evening and transition to rain Wednesday afternoon.

A frigid blast has already touched down in the Southern Interior, though it was starting to abate Monday morning.

According to Environment Canada, on Sunday night the Coquihalla got 30 centimetres of snow, Allison Pass got 26 cm, Kootenay Pass got 16 cm, Pine Pass got 13 to 16 cm,  Rogers Pass had 10 to 15 cm of snow and the Yellowhead Highway had nine centimetres.

The heavy snowfall caused no shortage of trouble for commuters in those areas. DriveBC reported that the southbound lane of the Coquihalla Highway south of Kamloops was closed due to a vehicle incident  Sunday night, forcing traffic to detour along Highway 5A for almost 20 km.