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School District 73 buses cancelled, watch for black ice between Little Fort, Avola

Winter storm wreaks havoc on Thompson-Nicola roads
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Schmidt Road in Clearwater is snow-covered Monday, Nov. 7. (Photo submitted)

School buses have been cancelled Monday (Nov. 7) throughout School District 73 and drivers are being advised to avoid travel as a winter storm continues to pack a wallop to the Thompson-Nicola region.

“If you don’t have to drive or get get anywhere, it would be best to stay off the roads right now,” said Sgt. Grant Simpson, detachment commander for the Clearwater RCMP.

DriveBC is warning of black ice between Webb Road and Wire Cache Rest Area for 81.1 km (two km south of Little Fort to 18 km south of Avola). Motorists are advised to watch for slippery sections and compact snow.

SD73, which encompasses Kamloops and many rural communities, including Chase, Barriere, Logan Lake, Pinantan Lake, Sun Peaks, Heffley Creek, Westwold, Savona and Clearwater, are all cancelled Monday due to unsafe road conditions.

Superintendent Rhonda Nixon informed students, parents and media of the cancellation at 6:30 a.m.

While the buses are not running, school do remain open.

Snowfall warnings remain in effect for Highway 97 - Clinton to 100 Mile House via Begbie Summit, as well as the Coquihalla Highway Hope to Merritt, Merritt to Kamloops and Merritt to Kelowna.

A snowfall warning remains in effect for the South Thompson as well Nov. 7.

The warning includes 100 Mile, South Thompson, Nicola, Similkameen, Central Okanagan, South Okanagan and Boundary.

Further snowfall accumulation of near 5 cm is expected Monday morning, following Sunday’s warning of 10-15 cm of snow.

Strong northwest winds are also creating blowing snow.

“A Pacific low pressure system southwest of Vancouver Island continues to spread moisture into the southern Interior this morning. The snow will ease this afternoon as the low moves further south,” notes Environment Canada.

“Be prepared to adjust your driving with changing road conditions. Surfaces such as highways, roads, walkways and parking lots may become difficult to navigate due to accumulating snow. Take frequent breaks and avoid strain when clearing snow.”



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Angie Mindus

About the Author: Angie Mindus

A desire to travel led me to a full-time photographer position at the Williams Lake Tribune in B.C.’s interior.
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