The first significant snowfall in Kamloops could get us close to record levels of snow for the month of October.

Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist says he was expecting around 10 cm of snow in Kamloops heading into today.

“I think we are going to blow through that forecast. There’s more snow coming and it is still coming down fairly heavily across all of the Southwest Interior right now,” he said. “This is already the second most snow we’ve had for any day in October.”

“It just happens to be the record was 20.3 cm back in 1933 on the 23rd. Coincidentally its the same date, but the record goes back over 120 years.”

Back in 1933 another 5.1 cm of snow fell on Oct 22 and 2.5 cm on Oct. 24, for a total of 27.9 cm that year.

Environment Canada is now calling for 15 cm of snow to fall today, with the snow expected to taper off in the evening with a chance of overnight flurries. Tonight’s low is expected to be -4 C, with a wind chill of -12 C heading into Election Day.

As for the higher terrain like the Coquihalla and the Okanagan Connector, Lundquist is encouraging people to stay off the roads if you don’t have to travel today as there could be over 20 cm of snow in the area.

Snowfall warnings are in effect for the Coquihalla from Hope to Kamloops, on Highway 3 via Allison Pass,  and the Okanagan Connector from Merritt to Kelowna.

“The farther south and west you go in the Southwest Interior right now, the worse it is. So absolutely, the Coquihalla system,” Lundquist added. “It will improve later tonight as we start to clear the system over the area this evening, and tomorrow sun, even over the higher terrain. So hopefully the Ministry can get a hold of that and the contractors can clean things up for us.”

Lundquist adds conditions are expected to warm up starting on Monday to near normal conditions by the middle of next week.

Drivers are being asked to check Drive BC before heading out on the road today.

(Photo via @jeff_sopel on twitter)

Today is the 2nd snowiest October day on record in #Kamloops: 9cm. #BCStorm pic.twitter.com/wftn8KuQyw

— Kamloops Weather Records🌷 (@YKA_Weather) October 23, 2020