Drivers planning to use the Sea-t0-Sky Highway are being warned to prepare for difficult conditions, with a winter storm warning in effect for the corridor.
Environment Canada said the region had already been hit with more than 50 centimetres of snow, and that another 10 to 15 centimetres was expected through Wednesday.
Global BC senior meteorologist Kristi Gordon said on Tuesday that the snow could shift to rain, but another 10-15 centimetres of snow was possible.
“Do not travel in this direction without expecting some major delays,” she said. “When we get a winter storm warning, it means that we are not only going to see snowfall but we are also expecting windy conditions, so reduced visibility is expected.”
The heavy precipitation snarled traffic in Whistler, where snow-seeking skiers were backed up on Highway 99 through Function Junction.
Several vehicles lost traction and went off the road, including a pair of BC Transit buses.
Miller Capilano, which maintains Highway 99, did not respond to a request for information. The Resort Municipality of Whistler said in a statement that an incident at Creekside held up municipal snow clearing, but that priority routes were cleared as quickly as possible.
Winter storm warnings are also in effect for the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merrit and Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton.
The Coquihalla could see another 10 to 20 centimetres of snow Tuesday with the same volume falling again overnight.
Highway 3 could see 15 to 25 centimetres of snow through Thursday.