Near white-out conditions are causing havoc on the Coquihalla highway, prompting a sudden closure on Monday afternoon.
Just before 1:30 p.m., B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation alerted the public via DriveBC that the highway was shut down in both directions between Hope and Merritt, due to multiple collisions.
The ministry said none of the accidents are major but there have been “multiple minor incidents” at Larson Hill, which has received over 40 centimeters of snow.
Commuters are advised to use alternate routes.
The next update will be at 4:00 p.m. and there is no estimated time of re-opening.
The transportation agency is advising motorists to postpone non-essential travel on B.C. Southern Interior mountain passes due to potentially hazardous conditions.
A travel advisory remains in effect due to limited visibility and blowing snow.
The winter storm has hammered much of southern B.C., causing dicey road conditions and power outages.
Up to 20 cm of snow is forecast to fall in the Okanagan on Monday, with up to 40 cm expected on some high elevation travel routes.
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