Freezing cold temperatures are slowing down road crews because salting has become ineffective.
On Sunday, Kelowna received nearly 20 centimetres of snow and temperatures as low as - 19 C. These conditions made for slippery, dangerous roads that resulted in numerous road closures and vehicle collisions throughout the evening and into the night.
AIM Roads crews worked throughout the night to keep all highways open within both service areas.
READ MORE: Snow and icy road conditions make for wild night in West Kelowna
Currently, all highways are compact, slippery with icy sections and drifted snow in the valley bottoms. Crews are currently working diligently to sand all routes, but temperatures are too cold for salt to be effective.
According to AIM, most school bus routes should be open and buses running. AIM has been working with municipalities and emergency services to maintain access and to coordinate snow response.
“We have reports of large snow drifts being reported on various roads, completely blocking access,” reads a report issued by Aim Roads.
“Crews are out assessing the drifts and mobilizing graders and loaders to clear the drifts.”
AIM asks that travelers prioritize calls to immediate safety issues so that crews are able to quickly respond to the most urgent issues.
According to Environment Canada, temperatures are expected to begin warming by Friday. Should this happen, AIM plans on having the highways to bare conditions by Thursday and will be maintaining and clearing throughout the coming days.
@Niftymittens14
daniel.taylor@kelownacapnews.com
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