Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

UPDATE: Highway 97C has a number of incredibly slippery sections from Brenda Mine Road exit to five km east of Brenda Mine Road exit. DriveBC advises extreme caution.

Photo Credit: Google Maps.

UPDATE: Highway 5 at Merrit is now open although, reduced to single lane. Drive BC warns drivers to use extreme caution.

UPDATE: (1:10 pm) Highway 5 northbound is closed because of an accident at Merritt. There is a detour available via Highway 5A north. There is no estimated time of opening from DriveBC.

Highway 97C remains closed in both directions because of the previous accident near Logan Lake. The road is reduced to single lane alternating traffic to light passenger vehicles only.

Area along Highway 97C where the highway is closed (Photo Credit: DriveBC)

UPDATE: Highway 97C is closed in both directions because of an accident. According to DriveBC the incident is 15 kilometres east of Logan Lake. Highway 5 is also closed northbound because of an accident eight kilometres south of the junction with Highway 97D. There is no estimated time of opening.

Slippery sections are also being reported on the Okanagan Connector between the Brenda Mine Road exits.

Original Story:

It has finally happened… the snow has fallen in Kelowna, and a lot of it has hit the ground as the city looks like a winter wonderland.

Snow at 5:00 a.m. in Kelowna on Wednesday (Photo Credit: KelownaNow.com)

Roads all over the city are slick and very slippery as the wet snow continues to pile up Wednesday morning. City crews are already out in Kelowna clearing priority roads and sidewalks beginning with downtown. More snow is in the forecast with another two to four centimetres according to Environment Canada. But that snow is expected to change into rain with a high of 3 degrees.

The treacherous conditions are making highway travel difficult and several area highways have closures due to accidents. Highway 3 is closed in both directions six kilometres south of Princeton because of an accident. Highway 5 northbound is closed at Merritt because of an accident as well. A weather alert is still in effect for both the Coquihalla and the Okanagan Connector as well as Highway 3 because of the heavy snowfall.

Snow at 5:00 a.m. in Kelowna on Wednesday (Photo Credit: KelownaNow.com)

Residents are reminded to remove snow from the sidewalks in front of their property. If at all possible removing cars from the streets will help plows move fast and efficiently through neighbourhoods as the clean-up begins. Plan to leave an extra few minutes early if possible and slow down on the roads if you are driving. And leave plenty of room between yourself and the car in front of you.