The new year brought with it new snowfalls as lakecity residents began digging their sidewalks and driveways out on the morning of Friday, Jan. 3.
This fresh snowfall brings with it both good news and bad news for all lakecity residents. On the one, Mount Timothy certainly has enough snow to enjoy this week thanks to the recent snowfalls, a fact that can only be exciting to local lakecity skiers and snowboarders of all ages.
On the other hand, this snowful has made driving conditions more treacherous, especially along Highway 20, where a high avalanche hazard has been declared between the Hunlen Falls and Turner Lake Trailheads to the Rainbow Range Trailhead for 19.7 k.m., which is 34 k.m. east of Firvale and 38 km west of Anahim Lake. This section of the road is closed currently pending further updates.
Read More: Mount Timothy open for skiing and snowboarding
Compact snow is making condition slippery across sections of road scattered throughout Highway 20 from Williams Lake up to Bella Coola. The section closest to the lakecity to watch out for is between Graham St and Highway 97 for about 111.8 km, heading towards Alexis Creek.
Highway 97 has a similar case of slippery packed snow, though most of the warnings seem to be closer to the Cache Creek and Quesnel areas. As always, drivers should use appropriate judgement and caution when driving on winter roads.
Temperature-wise, it’s expected to be quite balmy here in the lakecity sitting at -8C as of 10 a.m. but expected to go to upwards of 6C by the end of the day with largely sunny skies with a chance of showers. This mild weather is expected to last over the next few days in Williams Lake with a chance of a few flurries dusting the lakecity with more snow on Sunday.
Elsewhere across the province, the weather is shaping up to be more extreme with heavy snowfall and winds making potential avalanches far more dangerous. In fact, upwards of 100 cm of snow could fall in parts of the coastal mountains, according to The Weather Network.
Be sure to get out and enjoy this good weather and snow while you can as at the moment Cariboo seems to be in winter activity sweet spot.
patrick.davies@wltribune.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter