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Wintry weather to roll into Southern Interior

The Southern Interior is expected to get a snowstorm followed by freezing temperatures.
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The Southern Interior is expected to be hit by a snowstorm followed by freezing temperatures, prompting Environment Canada to issue a weather alert.

“On Tuesday a deepening Pacific low pressure system will track up and across northern Washington state,” reads an alert from the meteorological organization.

“This system will combine plentiful moisture with cool northerly winds near the surface. The result will be heavy snow starting tonight and continuing through Wednesday morning for most communities in the southwestern Interior and Kootenays.”

RELATED: WEATHER ALERTS FOR THE WINTER

Storm total snowfall amounts will range from 15 to 25 centimetres with the highest amounts falling near the U.S. border, while some regions in the Kootenays may get more than 25 cm from this storm.

“A break in the weather is forecast later Wednesday before an Arctic front sweeps through on Thursday,” according the alert.

“The Arctic front will bring a few flurries and, more noticeably, colder air to the southern interior for the rest of the week. Overnight lows will drop to between -10 C and -15 C; daytime maximums will be several degrees below zero.

Highways, in turn, will likely be treacherous.

The Coquihalla Highway, from Hope to Merritt, and Highway 3, Hope to Princeton via Alison Pass are expected to get flurries Monday with an additional five cm expected. Overnight five to 10 centimetres is anticipated with the snowfall intensity increasing after midnight. Tuesday will see the majority of the snowfall with 15 cm of snow falling. The snow will taper off to flurries by Wednesday morning.

The Trans-Canada Highway, from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass, is forecast to get snowfall, with total amounts of 15 to 25 cm is expected.

Highway 3, from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass, is expected to get 25 centimetres.

Continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.tempetepacifique-pacificstorm.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #BCStorm.

Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions. ShiftIntoWinter.ca reminds drivers to know before you go. Adjust to winter driving behaviour and use winter tires and chains.

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