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Most B.C. Southern Interior snowpacks sitting near normal

Snowpack level healthy

The first snowpack reading of the season shows that the province is better off than it was a year earlier, though conditions vary depending on location.

The Okanagan’s snowpack came in at 102 per cent of normal as of Jan. 1, according to B.C.’s River Forecast Centre. Last year at this time it was 64 per cent of normal.

Overall, the Southern Interior appears to be slightly ahead of the rest of the province, which is also doing better than a year earlier.

In the Similkameen, the snowpack is measured at 68 per cent of normal and both the south and north Thompson were at 100 per cent of normal.

The West Kootenay is sitting at 94 per cent of normal, compared to 57 per cent of normal a year ago and the East Kootenay is 92 per cent of normal, compared to 63 per cent of normal a year earlier.

Figures shows the overall provincial snowpack, however, measuring 87 per cent of normal. Comparatively, this time last year the snowpack was 56 per cent of normal.

The forecast centre said above average snowpacks result in floods while below average can be a sign of drought and a La Niña weather pattern will affect the outcome.

“La Niña is the cool phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation,” the forecast centre said.

“Historically, La Niña is linked to cooler temperatures for B.C. and wetter weather for the South Coast and Vancouver Island during the winter months. La Niña is expected to be short lasting with a transition to ENSO-neutral conditions favoured during April-June 2025.”

By early January, nearly half of the annual B.C. snowpack typically accumulates. There are still three months remaining of the snow building season.

The snowpack figures are derived from data collected from 40 manual snow courses and 113 automated snow weather stations around the province.



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