Driving on snowy B.C. highways? Inform others of plans and carry emergency kit

DriveBC's Sunday Summit webcam on Highway 3 south of Princeton shows significant snow accumulation on Dec. 12, 2021. (DriveBC)

Vancouver -

Environment Canada has issued snowfall warnings for parts of British Columbia as residents in some areas remain without power.

The agency says up to 10 centimetres of snow is expected Sunday in the Fraser Canyon and visibility may be reduced, including on Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass.

It's urging travellers to keep others informed of their schedule and destination and to carry an emergency kit and phone, as weather in the mountains can change suddenly.

Environment Canada is also forecasting an additional 10 centimetres of snow for the Coquihalla Highway, with hazardous driving conditions expected from Hope to Merritt.

BC Hydro says on its website that nearly 1,000 customers on northern Vancouver Island have no power and about 300 are without electricity in the north, while fewer are experiencing outages in the Thompson Shuswap regions.

Drive BC says downed hydro lines have forced the closure of Highway 37A for three kilometres from Stewart to the Alaska border and no detour is available.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 12, 2021.