Coquihalla highway now open between Hope and Merritt after overnight closure due to snow

Highway 5 is now open in both directions between Hope and Merritt after it was closed Friday afternoon due to heavy congestion and extreme winter weather and avalanche conditions, according to DriveBC.

Crews worked with heavy equipment to clear snow and create safe conditionsand did avalanche control on Saturday morning, according to the transportation agency.

Snowfall warnings from Environment Canada were in effect for the region until Friday afternoon.

The weather agency had predicted five to 10 centimetres of snow to accumulate overnight on Friday, creatingdifficult driving conditions due to slippery surfaces and reduced visibility.

Environment Canada saidthe heavy snow is the result of moist southwest flows in the wake of an outgoing frontal system.

It warneddrivers to be prepared for changing road conditions and forvisibility tobe suddenly reduced at times.

Avalanche Canada listed the avalanche danger for much of B.C. as "considerable" as of 8 a.m. PT Saturday. The avalanche control work along the Coquihalla comes after a series of deadly avalanches in the province.