Cariboo braces for September snow

Sep 12, 2018 | 11:55 AM

100 MILE HOUSE, B.C. — So much for summer.

Environment Canada Meteorologist Matt MacDonald says the Cariboo region is about to experience a quick transition from our hot summer to a cool and early bit of winter.

He says it started in the Peace where residents there were punished with four to eight centimetres of the white stuff earlier this week. That system is now quickly moving south.

“So, the cold front pushed through Prince George earlier this morning and is through Quesnel. They’re seeing their temperatures drop,” MacDonald says. “There’s still a bit of mixed showers and flurries. A better chance will come tonight as that cold front approaches the 100 Mile House area with the time being into the cooler evening hours.”

As a result, he says area residents may see two centimetres of snow in the valley bottom and possibly five centimetres over higher terrain.

MacDonald says motorists can expect the roads to be “pretty tricky tomorrow,” too.

“There could be widespread frost, black ice, maybe a bit of crusty snow that will have frozen overnight. But then tomorrow we’re getting into highs of plus eight so any snow that does fall will melt away.”

He acknowledges the September snow isn’t very common for this time of year.

“This is rather unusual. I’d say it’s a good three to four weeks ahead of time. September can go either way. Usually we get a tail end hint of summer than early indications of fall. But this is like an early weather pattern. It’s like we skipped over fall all together.”

And to follow up this story, Environment Canada issues a special weather advisory for the Coquihalla Highway from Merritt to Hope and on the Begbie Summit near 100 Mile House for Thursday. The forecast is calling for some flurries at the higher levels, with at least a couple of centimeters to fall. 

This is the time of year when those who regularly travel the high passes to think about appropriate winter tires.