Kelowna

The first weekend of 2010 could be very slushy.

Environment Canada is predicting a temperature increase following a period of snow for the last day of 2009.

Environment Canada's Doug Lundquist says the weather for Thursday and Friday will be repeating a pattern Central Okanagan residents saw earlier this month.

“It's like when earlier this month we went from a cold period to a warm period and got 10 cm of snow. The same thing is happening now, where are going from a pattern where we had arctic air over the Valley to a period where we have warmer air and the flow comes from the Pacific,” says Lundquist.

He says this time the cold air isn't quite as deep as last time.

“It's cooler, but not as cold as it was earlier this month, so the transition won't be as dramatic. We do have a system coming across the coast right now heading towards the Interior overnight Thursday and early Friday and we are expecting about 5 cm. in the Valley bottom.”

Lundquist says more snow could accumulate in the higher terrains.

“The temperature will pick up to zero and then to plus 4 by Saturday and there could even be some precipitation in the form of spitting rain. So things will be slushy Saturday.”

Link: Environment Canada Weather Statement