UPDATED: 9:30 a.m.
Freezing rain has started to pour in the Okanagan Valley.
Reports are coming in of freezing rain showering the region from OK Falls to Summerland. With some reports of it reaching as far north as West Kelowna.
Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning and travel advisory for the entire Shuswap and Okanagan Valley including Penticton, Kelowna and Vernon, the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt, Highway 97C from Merritt to West Kelowna, Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton and Highway 1 from Hope to Lytton.
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“Areas of patchy freezing rain are now spreading over the North and Central Okanagan and over the Arrow Slocan regions as well as the North Thompson. The freezing rain should end through the afternoon and early evening as the nose of warmer air aloft is eroded,” explains Environment Canada.
“A band of freezing rain is moving out of the Nicola and Similkameen regions and has spread over the South Okanagan.
“This band is expected to ease as it moves further northeast leaving only a risk of freezing rain elsewhere.”
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Another band is expected to develop over the Southwest Interior later this morning.
“The freezing rain should ease to flurries through this afternoon and evening as cooler air moves in aloft.”
Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become icy and slippery.
Ice build-up may cause tree branches to break.
Related: Ice storms in Fraser Valley
Please continue to monitor alerts and forecasts issued by Environment Canada. To report severe weather, send an email to ec.tempetepacifique-pacificstorm.ec@canada.ca or tweet reports using #BCStorm.
For more information on driving in winter conditions, click here.
For up to date details on highway conditions and road closures check DriveBC.
You can also monitor Environment Canada for alerts, warnings and updated forecasts.
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