Avalanche risk remains high in B.C. Interior ahead of forecasted snow

B.C.'s backcountry adventurers are in for yet another weekend of risky avalanche conditions as a forecasted snowstorm tracks toward the province.

In a release, the Ministry of Public Safety warned skiers and other trail users to exercise extra caution in what has already been a busy season for search and rescue teams, who have already responded to more than 160 incidents since Jan. 1.

Environment Canada has issued special weather statements for much of the southern Interior, calling for more than 20 centimetres of snow through Saturday night in some parts of the province.

An outflow of arctic air is also expected to bring frigid temperatures on Saturday and Sunday.

The new snow will add to what has already been an unusually snowy year. Recent weeks have seen numerous road closures, injuries and fatalities.

• Backcountry adventurers warned of high avalanche risk in B.C. Interior

Earlier in the month, three people and two horses were killed in a head-on collision that police say involved black ice. The Trans-Canada Highway through the Interior has seen numerous closures in recent weeks for avalanche control.