Snow blankets Coquihalla Highway, alerts in place for some B.C. highways

Coquihalla Highway at Zopkios Rest Area on Oct. 24, 2022.

Drivers travelling through some B.C. highway mountain passes were met with snowy conditions Monday morning.

Parts of the province saw a dramatic shift in weather in recent days after the first few weeks of October recorded minimal precipitation and, in some communities, record-breaking heat.

But on Monday morning, wintery conditions were observed on some highway routes, including the Coquihalla.

According to DriveBC, the summit could see about five centimetres accumulate before the snow changes to rain around noon. There may be more snow again overnight.

In spite of the snow, no weather alerts were in place for the Coquihalla Monday morning. A special weather statement was in place for a section of Highway 3, however.

Environment Canada's alert for Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass said some parts of the route could see as much as 15 centimetres of snow Monday.

"Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. If visibility is reduced while driving, turn on your lights and maintain a safe following distance," the advisory said.

"Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions."

As of the start of the month, winter tires or chains are required on most B.C. highways, especially those going through mountain passes. Those rules are in place for some routes until March 31, but for others, they remain until April 30.

B.C.'s Transportation Ministry says fines of $121 can be applied regardless of whether there's actually any snow on the ground.

The ministry's website recommends using four matched winter tires and says both the all-season "mud and snow" (M+S) tires and the three-peaked "mountain/snowflake" tires meet the legal winter tire requirements in B.C.

Meanwhile, Metro Vancouver is expected to see rain over the next several days. Monday's forecast shows a 40 per cent chance of showers throughout the day.

While there's predicted to be a mix of sun and cloud on Wednesday, the rest of the week will likely see rainfall daily, according to Environment Canada's forecast for the region.