Fall storm to bring wind and snow to B.C. Interior Saturday

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for a fall storm expected to bring gusty winds and lower snow levels to parts of the B.C. Interior on Saturday, Oct. 17, including the Okanagan, the Cariboo and the eastern Fraser Valley.

The statement, issued Friday morning and available on the Environment and Climate Change Canada weather site, says a sharp cold front will move through the region. It is a special weather statement, not a warning.

Environment Canada said the front will bring sudden, gusty winds of 60 to 80 km/h. Ahead of it, southwest winds gusting to 80 km/h are expected in the Chilcotin, in the lee of the Coast Mountains.

Snow levels are forecast to fall to about 1,500 metres over southern B.C. and 1,200 metres over the central part of the province. Scattered showers and small hail are possible across the central Interior and parts of the Columbia region, with a risk of thunderstorms over the Cariboo and Columbia.

The weather agency named three highways where travel could be affected: the Coquihalla Highway between Hope and Kamloops, the Okanagan Connector (Highway 97C) and Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton through Allison Pass. Wet snow is possible over the high passes.

Possible impacts include localized power outages, fallen branches and slippery road conditions. Drivers of high-profile vehicles were advised to use caution in the wind. The statement does not give snowfall or rainfall totals.

Travellers can check road conditions and closures on DriveBC before leaving. Winter tires or chains have been required on most B.C. highways since Oct. 1. See our guide to winter tire laws by province and our step-by-step guide on when to put winter tires on.

The details were also reported by the Chilliwack Progress and Daily Hive, both citing Environment Canada.

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