Early snow falls on B.C. highways; drivers warned to watch for changing weather
Drivers travelling between B.C.'s Lower Mainland and Interior are being warned to watch for changing road conditions after late-summer snow fell on multiple highways.
The province's transportation ministry posted to social media Wednesday evening warning drivers of the state of multiple highway stretches.
DriveBC said on Twitter the Okanagan Connector, which stretches between Merritt and Peachland, "skipped pumpkin spice" season and has "gone directly to snow."
Images shared of the highway at about 7 p.m. showed the area near Elkhart covered in white. By the next morning, the sky looked clear and the roads were plowed but snow remained on the side of the highway.
Meanwhile, part of the Coquihalla Highway was also hit by snow between Merritt and Hope. Images taken from Mine Creek showed falling flakes, though it's unclear how much actually accumulated.
It's still summer for about a week and winter tire requirements don't come into effect until Oct. 1 in B.C. Starting that day, chains or winter tires are required on most highway routes in the province.
Those rules remain until April 30, except for some highways not located in mountain passes or high snowfall areas. In those regions, the requirements end March 31.
"These routes are marked with regulatory signs posted on highways throughout the province," B.C.'s transportation ministry says. "We reserve the right to restrict travel at any time of the year depending on road conditions."
Drivers who don't have winter tires or chains on when required may be turned away and fined.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
OPP responds to apparent video of officer supporting anti-Trudeau government protestors
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) says it's investigating an interaction between a uniformed officer and anti-Trudeau government protestors after a video circulated on social media.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Loud boom in Hamilton caused by propane tank, police say
A loud explosion was heard across Hamilton on Friday after a propane tank was accidentally destroyed and detonated at a local scrap metal yard, police say.