Heavy snowfall snarls traffic on highway to Whistler
A sudden blast of wintry weather caused such havoc on the roads around Whistler on Wednesday that GPS devices suggested that it would be faster for drivers to take a seven-hour detour past Abbotsford and Lillooet to reach the ski resort.
By mid-afternoon, some 50 centimeters had fallen – much of it in a very short amount of time.
"Big impact on the highway," said Const. Antoine Graevling of Sea to Sky RCMP.
"We've seen cars that come to a standstill, partial closures of the highway, and temporary closures on Highway 99," he told CTV News.
Two BC Transit buses, as well as a school bus were also sent off the road.
"BC Transit will continue to closely monitor conditions and proceed accordingly," read a company statement, informing would-be travellers that travel along some routes had been suspended.
The lure of fresh snow drew thousands of skiers to the mountain, but many of them didn't have good winter tires.
All along the Sea to Sky highway, cars were spotted in ditches, but Mounties say thankfully nobody was injured.
"Definitely when you see that amount of snow that falls over a short period of time, it can be quite dramatic," said Alyssa Charbonneaum, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
"I think that for those who don't have to travel the route today, it's probably a good idea to postpone," she advised.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What weather experts say to expect this summer in Canada
Get ready to feel the heat, Canada. Weather experts are predicting more sunshine and warmer temperatures for the summer.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
Canada announces $11B for military aircraft training
Canada has announced an $11.2-billion contract to improve training platforms for the military, including the purchase of 70 training aircraft for the Future Aircrew Training program.
CNN Exclusive: A federal grand jury may soon hear from Sean 'Diddy' Combs' accusers
Federal investigators are preparing to bring accusers of music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs before a federal grand jury, two sources familiar with the probe tell CNN — signaling the U.S. Justice Department is moving toward potentially seeking an indictment of Combs.
In bizarre provocation, North Korea flies trash, manure balloons over the South
North Korea flew hundreds of balloons carrying trash and manure toward South Korea in one of its most bizarre provocations against its rival in years, prompting the South’s military to mobilize chemical and explosive response teams to recover objects and debris in different parts of the country.
Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi are married, says Jon Bon Jovi
Jon Bon Jovi has confirmed that his son, Jake, has married British actress Millie Bobby Brown at an intimate ceremony.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.