Update:
With today’s round of avalanche control complete, Kootenay Pass has been reopened following a winter storm.
From earlier today:
Creston Valley residents have been busy digging themselves out of a snowfall of over 20 centimetres this morning, and crews are busy clearing Highway 3 between Creston and Salmo, closing 27 kiilometres of Kootenay pass to traffic.
The avalanche control is expected to last until 2 p.m. Pacific time, and Highway 3A and the Kootenay Lake ferry are inservice as an alternate route. Due to the Highway 3 closure, travellers have reported that waits for the ferry are longer than ususal.
Weather woes aren’t over for the Creston Valley: Environment Canada issued a winters storm warning because an additional five to 15 centimetres of snow is expected later today.
“The Arctic air in the valley bottoms of the Southern Interior is being slowly mixed with milder air moving in at the level of the mountaintops,” said the warning. “With more overrunning warm and moist air expected and temperatures persisting below zero in the valleys, freezing rain may develop Tuesday.”
