The Trans-Canada Highway has re-opened west of Revelstoke following avalanche control Wednesday morning, Drive BC reports.
The highway remains closed from Albert Canyon to the west boundary of Glacier National Park for avalanche control. It is expected to re-open between 12:30 and 1:30 p.m.
The highway had been closed since Monday night after back-to-back snowstorms dumped about 70 centimetres on the Revelstoke area. Avalanche control that was scheduled for Tuesday morning had to be delayed until Wednesday due to unsafe flying conditions.
The helicopter finally got out on Wednesday and avalanche technicians were able to conduct control work. Highway maintenance crews then removed the snow from the highway, allowing traffic to start moving again.
According to Environment Canada, 55 centimetres of snow fell on Revelstoke over the course of the two-day storm, however the City of Revelstoke and HMC Services, the highway maintenance contractor, both reported snow fall totals of more than 70 centimetres.
Lisa Coldwells, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said it was the biggest two-day storm total in Revelstoke since Christmas 1990, when 57 centimetres was recorded over the course of two days, and 78 centimetres over three days.
It should be noted that the weather station’s location at the Revelstoke Airport often doesn’t reflect conditions away from the Columbia River.
The biggest single-day snowstorm in Revelstoke history was on Jan. 24, 1951, when a whopping 96 centimetres of snow fell in 24 hours.
