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‘Heavy snow’ leads to delays on Coquihalla, Okanagan highways

Poor driving conditions expected in B.C.’s interior
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Mountain passes have yet to fully move into spring, so if you are planning a road trip you may want to plan carefully.

Snow has fallen on the Coquihalla and Highway 97C, offering up some sloppy driving conditions. On the summit, Environment Canada said to expect a 40 per cent chance of showers this afternoon except a few wet flurries near the summit.

Tonight will be cloudy with 40 per cent chance of showers early this evening except a few wet flurries near the summit then partly cloudy.

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On Highway 97C, Environment Canada is calling for a mix of sun and cloud with a 40 per cent chance of flurries this afternoon.

Snow on the highway has already led a tractor-trailer to jack-knife, West Kelowna RCMP said in a release, and other vehicles to get stuck in “snowy and slushy conditions” at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Winter tires are still required on many B.C. highways until April 30, including Highway 97C and the Coquihalla.

If you’re not sure whether your wheels are ready for the drive, winter tires are marked with a symbol of a snowflake inside a three-peaked mountain placed on the sidewall of the tire.

Mud and snow tires, marked with an M+S symbol, also qualify as winter tires, though the Ministry of Transportation notes they are less effective than dedicated alpine snow tires.

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@KelownaNewsKat
kmichaels@kelownacapnews.com

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