Photo: Contributed - Big White

As summer slips away, temperatures have begun to drop, but just how low will they go?

With talk of El Nino and "The Blob," it can be tough to predict how the coming winter will look – but skiers and boarders are praying to the snow gods for good conditions.

Coastal snow fans may have to pray a little harder than their Okanagan counterparts, however.

“There is a very high probability to have above-average temperatures over the entire province of B.C.,” wrote Marko Markovic, a physical scientist at Environment Canada, in an email. “This includes the higher elevation regions, such as ski mountains.”

This will be more pronounced on Coastal mountains, where a small increase in temperature will turn snow into rain more so than in Interior areas.

“In the Interior, where normal winter temperatures are colder, a few degrees on the warm side makes much less difference in the amount of rain versus snow that falls,” Markovic said.

El Nino years are typically warmer and wetter, meaning at high elevations there is more snow – unless it's too warm.

Marcovic said there will be a strong El Nino influence this winter, and the Pacific decadal oscillation will also affect temperatures.  

The PDO is connected with a large region of much warmer than normal ocean water off the West Coast, referred to by some as "The Blob." Marcovic said the phenomenon is largely responsible for the last year’s warmer weather.

While lower-elevation resorts often make their own snow when Mother Nature isn't co-operating, it still requires below-freezing temperatures.

Michael Ballingall, senior vice-president at Big White Ski Resort, said he is expecting consistent snow this winter due to Big White’s high elevation.

“It’s going to be warmer on the Coast, in the valley in the Okanagan, it’s going to be warmer and wetter,” said Ballingall. “Up at 5,000 feet, it’s not going to be as cold, but it’s going to fall as snow the majority of the time.”

Some Lower Mainland mountains took a serious hit last season, with poor snowfall and warm conditions leaving hills bare. But, Ballingall said Big White enjoyed consistent snow coverage throughout the season.

“Our snow was very reliable. We had coverage on most of our runs top to bottom, side to side," he said.