Fatality reported as snow, rain wallops B.C.
A fatality was reported amid heavy snow hitting southern B.C. Major highways have been closed and there is an elevated risk of avalanches for the mountain areas.
At least one fatality has been reported as a powerful wintry system walloped B.C. Thursday and Friday.
According to the B.C. Coroners Service, it was called to Highway 3 -- near the Paulson Bridge in the Kootenays -- Thursday afternoon, where a woman in her 30s died. While the woman's death wasn't directly attributed to the weather, the area where the fatality was discovered was under a winter storm warning at the time. A high avalanche danger rating was also in effect.
Highway 3 between Hope and Princeton was closed late Thursday and then closed again in both directions at Allison Pass after only just a brief opening Friday morning.
Along with the heavy rain and wind, substantial snow across southern B.C. prompted widespread snow and winter storm warnings, including for several major mountain highways that had already picked up 50+ cm by Friday afternoon.
Although the snow is welcome news for skiers anxiously awaiting the ski season, the heavy accumulation was making for treacherous travel conditions for the mountain passes through Saturday.
IN THE FIELD WITH MIA GORDON:
HIGH AVALANCHE RISK
Avalanche Canada is warning that this heavy snowfall could lead to a natural or human-caused avalanche for southern B.C. through the start of the weekend.
"Best to avoid avalanche terrain on Friday and give the snowpack time to stabilize," officials with Avalanche Canada said, adding that high wind can also create 'slabs,' which increases the avalanche risk as well.
LOOK AHEAD -- LOW POTENTIAL FOR CHRISTMAS SYSTEM
After a very active and unsettled week, the coastal rain and alpine snow will gradually diminish by Saturday, though with still some difficult travel expected through the mountain passes.
Forecasters are also closely watching the South Coast late Christmas Eve and Christmas Day for a slight potential for another system to arrive.
"If we do get some unsettled weather during this time, snow levels would be rather low with some mixing possible into the higher elevations of the Lower Mainland," says meteorologist Dr. Doug Gillham.