"Steady rain" bringing 40 to 70 mm of rain to the Coquihalla Highway

Nov 29 2021, 5:04 pm

Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for a part of the Coquihalla Highway as another storm brings snow and rain to the already damaged roadway.

The alert was issued early Monday morning and is in effect for the stretch of the Coquihalla that runs from Hope to Merritt.

“Steady rain” will begin over the Coquihalla Highway on Monday night, with 40 to 70 mm of precipitation expected to fall before the storm ceases on Wednesday evening.

The Coquihalla Summit will see the precipitation arrive as snow, but it will change to rain by Tuesday afternoon.

The storm will “particularly impact” the western and upslope sections of the highway, the alert said, and areas north of the summit will receive lesser amounts of precipitation.

Snowmelt will contribute to runoff, which Environment Canada warns could increase the risk of flooding and possibly impact vulnerable landscape and infrastructure.

“Weather in the mountains can change suddenly resulting in hazardous driving conditions,” the alert reads. Drivers are encouraged to check road conditions online before heading out.

Zoe DemarcoZoe Demarco

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