Snow hits mountain parks as avalanche risk rises

 While Calgary and its surrounding communities are being inundated with rain, the mountain parks are seeing snow. A lot of it.

Peter Lougheed Provincial Park got hit hard over the last few days as cooler temperatures turned a forecast of big rain into a late spring snowstorm.

As a result, campgrounds and trail heads that would normally be jammed with hikers at this time of the year are deserted.

And as you head north along the Smith Dorrien Trail, wet heavy snow makes it difficult to drive.

The province announced that Highway 40bwill remain closed between Kananaskis Lakes Trail and Highway House/Highway 541 due to avalanche hazard, and will remain closed Wednesday.

Rivers and creeks in the area are flowing fast, but if the snow was falling as rain, they would likely be raging.

The Barrier and Spray reservoirs in Kananaskis country have also been lowered to accommodate for all the extra moisture.

Plows have been on Highway 40 and the road out to Peter Lougheed Provincial Park to clear it for cars, but Tuesday, no one was in the parks.

The province announced that Highway 40 will remain closed between Kananaskis Lakes Trail and Highway House/Highway 541 due to avalanche hazard, and will remain closed Wednesday.

Albertans are advised to avoid the area. The province continues to assess the situation and will provide more information in coming days.