Kamloops woke up to lots of snow this morning.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

KAMLOOPS - Schools are closed, transit buses are delayed, garbage pickup is slow going and only a few side streets will likely be plowed before mid-week. Yes, it’s a snow day in Kamloops.

The city has been running snow-clearing equipment 24 hours and Public Works Director Jen Fretz says they have even hired contractors to help.

“We’ve got 10 trucks, a sidewalk plow and two graders, plus contract graders and we’re hoping to get two more (contractors),” Fretz says. “Graders are the most effective for this amount of snow, those are the ones that can move a significant amount of snow from larger areas.”

She says they are concentrating on major roadways and arterials and for the most part only side streets with bigger hills are being done. Most side streets will likely not be plowed until mid-week.

“If the snow ever stops, we’ll be able to catch up,” Fretz says, adding they are calling in people for overtime but work-rest cycles mean city staff do need to be off for a certain number of hours between shifts.

Snow removal will begin in the North Shore and Downtown business areas Tuesday night. Fretz asks that people obey the no parking signs that will be in place.

She also notes that windrows will be created during snow removal and it’s something people will need to deal with. Sidewalks and boulevards are also the responsibility of residents when it comes to snow removal.

Meanwhile garbage trucks are out but will be a bit slower in picking up garbage and recycling because of the snow.

Kamloops Transit is also being slowed by the snow but only Route 8 (Battle) is not running at all right now.

This morning School District 73 announced all schools would be closed, and Thompson Rivers University even closed the campus.

A winter storm warning remains in effect for the region, with another five to 10 centimetres of snow expected today. The Coquihalla Highway from Kamloops to Merritt and the Okanagan Connector both have travel advisories issued as well.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.

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