Grab your winter jackets and toques because the snow is on the way to Kelowna.
According to Environment Canada, rain showers are going to start in the Central Okanagan around 3 p.m. on Thursday and will turn into wet snow mixed with rain overnight. With the precipitation and freezing temperatures, the forecast is calling for 2-4 centimetres of local snowfall with more than five centimetres in higher terrain areas. The wind is also going to be 20-40 kilometres per hour.
As the temperatures rise on Friday, Nov. 4, the snow will likely turn into rain again.
With the snowfall in the immediate forecast, the City of Kelowna has their plows and other equipment prepared for the roads.
“We’ve finished switching equipment over for the winter, have more than 20,000 tons of sand on hand for the season and a new snow blower is ready for its very first run which is a game-changer for our operations,” said Roadways Operations Manager Andrew Schwerdtfeger. “Our outgoing unit was more than 30 years old, and it couldn’t keep up with the demands of the job last year. The new one can fill 500 trucks per hour. It will be instrumental in helping remove snow that starts to accumulate in areas where we don’t have sufficient snow storage.”
The City will be on the road plowing, sanding, de-icing and more as soon as snow starts to hit the ground. Higher traffic roads, like Highway 97 (Harvey Avenue), Gordon Drive, and Richter Street will be cleared first, followed by roads with bus routes, school zones, emergency routes and town centres.
The City of Kelowna would like to remind everyone that every resident can to do their part to make the snow more manageable:
- move cars off the street is possible to clear the street faster;
- clear your sidewalks and properties;
- help your neighbours shovel who aren’t able to;
- know if you live on a designated snow routes.
To know where the snow routes are or for more information, visit the City of Kelowna’s website.
READ MORE: New Kelowna city council to be sworn-in Nov. 7
READ MORE: Snowfall warning for Coquihalla, Connector and Hwy 3
@cunninghamjordy
jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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