February breaks cold record

If you live in Kelowna or Penticton, give yourself a pat on the back.

You’ve just survived the second coldest February in history for both cities.

Meteorologists were keeping a close watch on the frigid temperatures all month long and predicted it was going to be one of the coldest months in the region’s recorded history.

Trevor Smith, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, says Kelowna was -6.5 C colder than normal, which is very significant.

“In terms of the average temperature for the whole month, averaging highs and lows for all of the days, you get -7.4 C,” said Smith.

The coldest February was recorded in 1975 when the normal mean temperature throughout the entire month was -7.8 C.

Kelowna’s coldest day in the month this year was on February 5 at -20.2 C.

Penticton also had their second coldest February.

“Their average temperature for the month was -6.1 C, their average for them is normally 1 C, so they were 7.1 degrees colder,” said Smith.

And the Okanagan Valley wasn’t the only ones with the cold snap.

“All of B.C. and Alberta had a record or near record cold February. In the Interior, Prince George and Williams Lake had their coldest ever,” said Smith.

When looking at the three winter months December, January, and February, Smith says things were fairly normal.

“December and January were a little above normal so the average temperature for the three months was just slightly below normal with -2.3 C,” said Smith.

Meteorologists originally predicted this was going to be a warmer than normal winter, but February changed everything.

“People are going to remember this cold February,” said Smith.

With sunshine expected for a few days this week, many people are wondering how far away spring is.

“It is still pretty cold right now and getting a little less cold and almost close to normal temperatures as we get to the weekend,” he said.

Things are going to be closer to normal, but not above normal as we get into next week.

“The chances are very good that it is not going to be a normal or above normal March, definitely through this week there are no heat waves or nice spring days coming,” said Smith.

We’ve made it through the hard part, so just hold on and don’t break out the flip-flops just yet.