(UPDATE: Jan. 9 @ 7:15 am) – It's finally been deemed safe to reopen Hwy 3.

The highway had been closed near the Kootenay Pass since Tuesday morning due to a "high avalanche hazard."

Below is what the highway looks like as of 6:48 am today and conditions are still less than ideal, so drive cautiously if you're taking that route!

Photo Credit: Drive BC

Below this, however, is what it looked like as crews performed avalanche control work over the past 48 hours.

(UPDATE: Jan. 8 @ 9:30 am) – Hwy 1 has reopened between Revelstoke and Golden.

It was previously closed down due to a "high avalanche hazard" and subsequent avalanche control work.

However, Hwy 3 remains closed as it's been for more than 24 hours now, also due to the avalanche risk.

There's no word on when the stretch of highway near the Kootenay Pass might reopen, but the Kootenay Lake Ferry is currently running 24 hours a day to provide a detour around the closure.

(UPDATE: Jan. 8 @ 6:30 am) – Hwy 3 remains closed due to a "high avalanche hazard" and the closure is going on 24 hours now.

Unfortunately, Hwy 1 has now been closed for the same reason as the main route between the BC Interior and Alberta was shut down late Tuesday evening.

The official location of the closure is in between Revelstoke and Golden, while Hwy 3's closure is at the Kootenay Pass, east of Salmo and west of Creston.

If you had plans on travelling east, your best bet is to keep an eye on Drive BC, but also plan on delaying your trip until later in the week.

NowMedia will update this story as more information becomes available.

(Original story: Jan. 7 @ 7:15 am) – The decision has been made to close Hwy 3 this morning.

It’s shut down around the Kootenay Pass due to a “high avalanche hazard.”

That means drivers won’t have any luck travelling west of Creston or east of Salmo without using lengthy detours. 

DriveBC didn’t provide any estimate on when the highway would reopen, but did promise to provide updates when they became available.

On Monday, a winter storm warning was issued for Hwy 3 and Environment Canada has continued it into Tuesday.

Photo Credit: DriveBC

“A Pacific frontal system will transit across southern BC today. Heavy snow will continue today and tonight giving 30 to 50 cm,” says the alert.

“Total accumulations near 70 cm is likely by Wednesday morning. Snow will ease Wednesday morning as the system exits the province.”

NowMedia will update this story as more information becomes available.