Snow fills city streets

A parking ban was imposed on highelevation Kelowna streets as the city worked to keep roads clear during a Wednesday morning snowstorm.

Snowfall accumulations of up to 15 centimetres were predicted for Kelowna and Vernon, Environment Canada said.

“We put the advisory in place because we’re expecting more snow throughout the day,” city roadways manager Stephen Bryans said.

Almost all of the city’s 40 pieces of snow-clearing equipment were put into in service, he said.

The city budgets $2 million on a calendar basis for snow removal. As of now, expenditures are nearly at that point, so some use may be made of a reserve fund before the new budget year begins on Jan. 1, Bryans said. “We’ve been going pretty close to 24/7 since Christmas,” he said.

A snowfall warning was prompted by a Pacific frontal system moving across the B.C. Southern Interior.

The snow was to taper off to flurries by the afternoon. The warning was lifted early Wednesday afternoon.

The City of Kelowna activated its snow route system, meaning a on-street parking ban is in effect in many neighbourhoods.

These include Academy Way, Black Mountain, Clifton/Magic Estates/Wilden, Dilworth Mountain, Kirschner Mountain, McKinley Beach and areas in the Upper Mission including the Ponds neighbourhood.

Residents in these areas have 24 hours to move their vehicles off the street or they could get a $50 ticket or be towed away. The parking ban is indefinite; it will be lifted when the city deems conditions warrant their removal.

Driving conditions were expected to be hazardous.

“Prepare for quickly changing and deteriorating travel conditions. Visibility may be suddenly reduced at times in heavy snow,” Environment Canada said.

Today is expected to see a high of 0 C, with slightly warmer conditions expected from Friday through Tuesday.

The New Year should start with grey skies, with flurries or rain showers expected throughout the first week of January.

So far this month, Vernon has had 48 millimetres of precipitation and Kelowna has had 31 mm.

Okanagan Newspaper Group A car travels along a snowy Kelowna road Tuesday morning.

Okanagan Newspaper Group A business parking lot is cleared of snow on Dilworth Drive Tuesday morning.