Winter Storm Watch Issued for Southern Interior British Columbia Highways
This alert is no longer in effect.
ECCC issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
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Environment Canada warns of heavy snowfall up to 30 cm and 100 km/h wind gusts for the Coquihalla, Highway 3, and Okanagan Connector through Thursday.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Winter Storm
- Affected area
- Southern Interior British Columbia
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- ECCC
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Southern Interior British Columbia.
Alert Details
Environment Canada has issued a winter storm watch for several major mountain passes in the British Columbia interior. The alert is currently in effect as a series of weather systems approach the region, bringing significant snow and high winds.
Affected Areas
The watch specifically covers the following high-elevation routes:
- Coquihalla Highway: From Hope to Merritt.
- Highway 3: From Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass.
- Okanagan Connector: From Merritt to Kelowna.
What You Should Do
Residents and travelers are advised that roads and walkways may become difficult to navigate. Visibility may be suddenly reduced to near zero at times, and travel delays are possible. Drivers should monitor road conditions at DriveBC.ca before departing. To report severe weather, Environment Canada requests emails be sent to BCstorm@ec.gc.ca or reports posted on X using the hashtag #BCStorm.
Expected Conditions
A combination of heavy snow and high winds is expected to create hazardous driving conditions.
- Snowfall: The Coquihalla Highway is forecast to receive 10 to 15 cm tonight, with an additional 20 to 30 cm expected Wednesday night. Highway 3 and the Okanagan Connector can expect accumulations of up to 10 cm.
- Winds: Strong wind gusts reaching up to 100 km/h are forecast for areas north of the Coquihalla Summit, the Okanagan Connector, and Highway 3.
- Visibility: Blowing snow is expected to result in near zero visibility, particularly as a sharp cold front passes through the area.
Timeline
- Tonight: Initial heavy convective flurries are expected for the Coquihalla Highway, tapering off early Wednesday morning.
- Wednesday Afternoon to Thursday: A low pressure system will bring a second, more intense round of heavy snow, blowing snow, and strong winds to all mentioned highways.
- Thursday Morning: Conditions are expected to improve, though gusty winds and scattered flurries will prevail throughout the morning.
Original source: ECCC Official Notice ↗
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