Image: Image credit: Mbruxelle/Dreamstime.com / Environment Canada says there will be freezing rain on the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy. 5) from Hope to Merritt, and on the Crowsnest Highway (Hwy. 3) from Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass, from Wednesday night (Nov. 1) until Thursday morning.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Freezing rain east of Hope

Freezing rain forecast for Coquihalla, Crowsnest Highways: Environment Canada

Nov 1, 2023 | 9:33 AM

CHILLIWACK — The Coquihalla Highway and Crowsnest Highway won’t be a fun place to be tonight if a forecast from Environment Canada holds true.

The national weather forecaster says there will be freezing rain on the Coquihalla Highway (Hwy. 5) from Hope to Merritt, and on the Crowsnest Highway (Hwy. 3) from Hope to Princeton via Allison Pass, from Wednesday night (Nov. 1) until Thursday morning.

Environment Canada says a warm front associated with a low pressure system will move into the B.C. interior tonight. As warm air aloft moves over the existing cold air, freezing rain can and will develop, particularly over higher elevations and highway passes. Freezing rain will end or change to rain Thursday morning as the cold air erodes. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots will become icy, slippery and hazardous. Poor weather conditions may contribute to transportation delays. Utility outages may occur.

Back here in the Fraser Valley, heavy rain is expected to begin tonight with rainfall amounts of 10-20 mm likely.