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‘Worst we’ve seen in 50 years’: Okanagan Connector closes during snowstorm

35 cms have already fallen on highway, more to come
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The Okanagan Connector near Pennask Summit just before noon on Nov. 4, 2022. (DriveBC)

UPDATE: 2:15p.m.

The Connector has now been closed by RCMP in both directions due to the “treacherous road conditions.”

It will remain closed until further notice.

ORIGINAL: 12:30p.m.

The first heavy snowfall of the season has been one to remember, especially for the Interior’s highways.

One Merritt resident, after driving from Merritt to Kelowna along the Okanagan Connector on the morning of Nov. 4, said the highway should be closed. It did close westbound shortly after due to a vehicle incident around 12:30p.m.

“The Connector is the worst we’ve ever seen in our 50 years of travel,” said Vera Drew, who has lived in Merritt for four decades, and was driving her husband to a doctor’s appointment. “(We are) driving four-by-four and couldn’t drive more than 10 km/h.”

Drew said that she saw two plows, one wrecker and more than 50 cars off the road.

More than 35 cms of snow has already fallen on the highway as of noon on Nov. 4, with another 15-20 cms expected through to Saturday. Drew said that the roads do not seem to be plowed, and that the westbound route heading from Kelowna to Merritt looks even worse.

Environment Canada is advising that non-essential travel be postponed.

READ MORE: Get ready to hit the slopes as heavy snow falls on the Okanagan resorts

READ MORE: UPDATE: Highway 3A reopens following vehicle incident


@JakeC_16
Jake.courtepatte@kelownacapnews.com

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Jake Courtepatte

About the Author: Jake Courtepatte

Editor of Kelowna Capital News & West K News since February 2022. I have spent the majority of my career working in the Toronto area as both a sports reporter and a general reporter.
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