Winter is making its presence known in Kamloops this week as Environment Canada is forecasting snow today through tonight, and again towards the end of the week.

(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

Today’s snow event is the start of a week of highly variable weather in store for Kamloops.

Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist says between 5 and 10 cm are expected in the valley bottoms, with 15 cm falling in higher terrain and as much as 20 to 30 cm forecast for mountain passes.

“The heaviest snow will be today and tonight, followed by warming conditions tomorrow that should see some melting. We’ll have a taste of arctic air on Thursday before another vigorous system heads our way for Friday, with perhaps more snow than we’re getting today,” Lundquist says.

He says another blast of arctic air is expected by the end of the weekend, “maybe our coldest of the season so far.”

Tomorrow’s warming should see snow melt from valley roads, but Lundquist says motorists travelling higher elevation roads need to be ready.

“Plan accordingly, take extra blankets and food and be prepared, or monitor Drive BC and wait until conditions improve,” he says to those travelling mountain passes in the region this week.

In Kamloops today, increasing clouds are expected with periods of snow.

Up to 2 cms are expected with periods of snow continuing tonight with an additional 5 to 10 cm expected.

Temperature is expected to reach 0 Celsius today with a wind chill of -6 C and the overnight low holding steady at 0 C.

The snow should end Tuesday, followed by cloudy periods and a 60 per cent chance of rain showers with snow flurries over higher terrain. Tuesday’s high should reach 5 C, with showers and a low near 0 C overnight.

Wednesday should see cloudy skies in Kamloops with a high of 2 C and a low of -6 C under continuing cloudy skies.

The sun returns Thursday, along with cooler temperatures. Thursday’s high should reach -2 C with an overnight low dipping to -8 C. There is a 40 per cent chance of flurries overnight.

The chance of flurries rises to 60 per cent on Friday, with a high of -6 C and a low to -9 C overnight, along with a continuing 60 per cent chance of flurries.

The weekend looks like it will be cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of flurries and a high of -6 C on Saturday.

Cloudy skies are expected to continue Sunday with a high of -7 C.

Kamloops normal daily high and low temperatures for this time of year are -1 C and -8 C.

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