(CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

Highway Travel

Snowfall and freezing rain expected for Interior highways ahead of Christmas Day: Environment Canada

Dec 20, 2021 | 12:38 PM

KAMLOOPS — While a cold wave is expected to hit B.C.’s Interior and Coast Christmas Day and Boxing Day, it’s the week leading up that has Environment and Climate Change Canada concerned for people’s safety.

Doug Lundquist, meteorologist with Environment Canada, expects numerous weather warnings – such as snowfall and freezing rain – on highways connecting the Interior and the Coast, and around Kamloops, from Tuesday (Dec. 21) until Christmas.

“Highways 99 and 3 are opening to non-essential traffic. This unfortunately times perfectly with the start of a very bad storm cycle,” Lundquist told CFJC Today. “We are forecasting periods of snow, but I think by Boxing Day things will calm down and get cold, which is far safer weather. As long as we get all the folks that are outside in and safe and if we’re travelling in the cold that we have a lot of blankets and warm clothes in case we break down.”

Environment Canada expects the worst period for the valley bottom to be Tuesday night through the day on Wednesday, with Wednesday potentially seeing freezing rain. Lundquist says daytime on Tuesday and Friday will be the best for travel.

“It can be pretty nasty weather. Even for the valley bottom that snow can collect fast,” Lundquist says. “I know highway crews and the municipalities are going to be out in full force, but it is definitely a time to really plan and don’t be in a rush.”

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As of Monday (Dec. 20), temperatures are expected to get up to plus one for Wednesday and go back to minus four for Thursday. Lundquist says driving conditions are worse when temperature hovers around zero.

The arctic air is expected to hit Kamloops Christmas Day with a high of minus 10 with snow or flurries. The good news, according to Lundquist, is there’s a 100 per cent chance Kamloops experiences a white Christmas.