Snow expected on B.C. mountain passes for long weekend

Anyone with plans to travel in and out of B.C.’s Southern Interior for the May long weekend should be prepared for some snow.

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement warning motorists that there will be snow on all major mountain highways this weekend, including the Coquihalla Highway, Okanagan Connector, Allison Pass, Kootenay Pass, Begbie Summit, and Rogers Pass.

An estimated two to five centimetres of snow is expected to fall between Thursday night and Friday morning, and possibly early Saturday. Higher elevations could see even more.

0:25 Coquihalla Highway closed in both directions Thursday morning

“An upper low will bring a cool airmass to higher elevations of the B.C. Interior tonight and into this long weekend,” said the warning issued Thursday.

“Colder air along with precipitation means the mountain passes can expect a dusting of snow overnight Thursday, and possibly overnight Friday.”

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For Allison Pass, the Coquihalla Highway, the Okanagan Connector and Begbie summit, snow can be expected above 1,000 metres. At Rogers and Kootenay Pass, snow is expected above 1,300 metres.

The national weather agency warned that transportation routes may be impacted and travellers should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions.