Avalanche Risk CLOSES HIGHWAY 16 between Terrace and Prince Rupert

Update: Highway was reopened to traffic at 4 AM

Two days of heavy snow, strong winds and blustery weather have made for an unstable mountainside along Highway 16 and on Tuesday evening, Drive BC made the decision to proceed with caution and close down travel along the Highway, issuing their notice to travellers at 8:30 in the evening.

The site of the avalanche risk is a stretch between the Port Edward Turnoff and thirty five kilometres west of Terrace. The Ministry of Transportation has advised that Avalanche control will get underway in the morning, weather permitting.

Area of concern for travellers is a stretch from the 
Port Edward Turn-off to about 35 Kilometres west of Terrace
(click on image above to enlarge)

The highway will remain closed through the overnight period until at least the Noon hour, the next assessment from Drive BC will be released at 8AM

The first alert to the potential closing came at 4 PM on Tuesday afternoon and followed in the wake of some severe weather in the Terrace region which has delivered over 60 centimetres of snow to the region in less than 48 hours.

As we outlined on the blog earlier in the day on Tuesday, the arrival of a strong pacific front combined with lingering Arctic air has made for a number of challenges for those travelling through the Northwest over the last few days.

More background on the Avalanche risk in Coastal BC and the backcountry can be found from this update from Avalanche Canada.

For more items related weather events on the North Coast see our archive page here.

Transportation notes along the Highway 16 corridor can be reviewed here.


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