Highway 16 between Prince Rupert and Terrace closed on Saturday, Nov. 18, overnight after an onslaught of snow.
DriveBC closed the road in both directions from 7 p.m. until 11 a.m. the next day. On Sunday, Drivers dealt with delays of 30 minutes or longer in both directions 56 km west of Terrace due to avalanche control.
Snowfall in Terrace exceeded the 30cm forecast. At the base of Shames Mountain the weather station read over 70cm of snow.
Shames staff said that eye witness reports from their maintenance manager estimated that a meter fell on the ground and that the upper mountain has over a metre of snow.
There were a few accidents along the highway prior to its closure, including a vehicle that drove onto the barricade and rolled on the driver’s side, blocking traffic. The driver and passenger were taken to the hospital where they were treated for non-life threatening injuries.
Then at 6:23 p.m. a truck slid off the road and sustaining minor damage. The driver, who had no injuries, was able to drive back to Prince Rupert after the truck was pulled out by a tow truck.
The recent snowstorm is a sign of more to come this winter. Meterologists are predicting this to be a very snowy winter with the La Nina weather system.
READ MORE: FORECAST CALLS FOR A SNOWY CANADIAN WINTER
newsroom@thenorthernview.com
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