Low snowpack, early snowmelt, warm weather in forecast point to higher B.C. drought risk, says forecaster
Social Sharing
The B.C. River Forecast Centre says a combination of a low snowpack, early snowmelt and forecasts of warm weather are pointing toward elevated drought hazards in the province.
The province's snowpack sits at 71 per cent of normal levels as of May 1, the centre wrote in its latest monthly report, down from 79 per cent on April 1.
The centre notes levels were "extremely low" last May, with the average across B.C. at 66 per cent of normal.
Snowmelt is happening earlier than usual, the reports says, with 15 per cent of the peak total snowpack at automated stations melting by May 1. In a typical year, five per cent of the snowpack has melted by early May.
Jonathan Boyd, a hydrologist for the river forecast centre, says there are drought concerns due in part to long-term precipitation deficits that date back to 2022. He says spring weather will be a factor in summer drought conditions.
"April wasn't great, but more important is what happens in May and June, and it's still a little bit too early to know for sure," he said, adding that seasonal forecasts from Environment Canada indicate warmer-than-normal temperatures from May to July.
The snowpack in most regions of B.C. ranges from 60 to 80 per cent of normal, the report says, while a snowpack below 60 per cent was measured for the Upper Fraser West, Lower Thompson, Nicola, Bridge, Skagit, Central Coast, Similkameen, and Skeena-Nass regions.
The report noted that temperatures in B.C. ranged from 0.5 C to 2.5 C warmer than usual last month, while precipitation was below normal or slightly below normal.
The centre says there isn't an elevated risk of floods given current snowpack levels, but higher flows are possible if there is heavy spring rainfall.
The B.C. Wildfire Service's summer forecast expects higher than usual temperatures into spring, with the possibility of above-average precipitation over coastal and central B.C.
The service said precipitation in May and June, typically the rainiest months in B.C.'s Interior, "will influence the length and intensity of the core wildfire season."
Boyd said that while there are concerns about the amount of snowmelt, it's still early in the season, and conditions can change.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Structures 'impacted' by Kiskatinaw River blaze, officials say, as wildfire threat increases in northeast B.C.
A rapidly growing wildfire that forced the evacuation of the community of Kelly Lake in northeast B.C. has now impacted some structures, the B.C. Wildfire Service says. Discovered two weeks ago, the Kiskatinaw River fire has grown to almost 216.8 square kilometres and is now pushing into Alberta. Fire information officer Karley Desrosiers said there are about 60 B.C. Wildfire Service personnel and 60 structure protection personnel from fire departments across the province working to defend Kelly Lake, a community of 70 people about 60 kilometres southeast of Dawson Creek. But, she said, some structures have been "impacted." And the wildfire service said it expects Monday to be "another challenging day, as winds remain elevated and conditions remain very dry." "Significant growth is anticipated again," the service said in its latest update. The fire has closed Highway 52 East in both directions between One Island Lake Road and Hiding Creek Road, according to DriveBC. On Friday, the fire crossed the border into Alberta, where structure protection crews are present in the county of Grande Prairie. It is one of three wildfires of note in B.C., a term given to fires that are particularly visible or that pose a risk to human life or critical infrastructure. Pocket Knife Creek fire merges Further north, about 150 kilometres southwest of Fort Nelson, the Pocket Knife Creek fire has ballooned in size to 610.5 square kilometres after merging with another blaze. The fire is now designated a wildfire of note. Fire behaviour there is expected to increase due to a wind warning in effect for the Fort St. John zone, according to the wildfire service's latest update. Peace River Regional District has issued two evacuation orders for the area, and a section of Highway 97 is closed, according to DriveBC. Dry, windy conditions expected to worsen Summit Lake fire The third wildfire of note is the Summit Lake fire, located west of Fort Nelson, which has grown to 106.67 square kilometres. The B.C. Wildfire Service has said to expect "extreme fire behaviour" there as a cold front moves into the region Monday. "The continuation of warm dry weather, combined with strong gusting winds, of variable directions increase fire behaviour on many of the wildfires in Fort Nelson Complex," the service said in an online update. Northern Rockies Regional Municipality has issued an evacuation order for the Tetsa River area, and a stretch of Highway 97 is closed due to the wildfire. There are 83 active wildfires in B.C. as of midday Monday, more than half of which are classified as "out of control."
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
WATCH LIVE: Sask. gives wildfire update after weekend rain slows fire progression
Sask. Public Safety Agency officials provide an update on the province's wildfire response. Watch LIVE here. This content is not currently available for viewing in your browser. For the best video experience, we recommend using a supported browser for your platform. Please visit our FAQ for more info. [3001/6008] After a weekend that saw rainfall slow progression of some wildfires burning in northern parts of the province, the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) will provide another update at 1:30 Monday afternoon. The SPSA's news conference can be watched live at the top of this article. About 22 millimetres of rain fell on parts of the Shoe fire, which is Saskatchewan's largest wildfire at close to 500,000 hectares, according to the SPSA. On Sunday, SPSA president Marlo Pritchard said the recent moisture gives crews an opportunity to attack fires more directly. 'The rain was very much appreciated and needed. But we cannot slowdown and we're not going to slow down,' he said. As of Monday, the SPSA's website says there are 25 active wildfires in the province. Seven are considered not contained and two more are still forcing crews to focus their attention to protecting structures. There are still 18 evacuation incidents in effect Monday. However, on Sunday Pritchard confirmed that some residents of the Weyakwin area where the Ditch02 fire is burning have been allowed to return. As many as 15,000 residents have been forced to evacuate since the start of Saskatchewan's wildfire season. More to come… With files from David Prisciak
The Province
an hour ago
- The Province
More than a dozen heat records broken in B.C.'s first heat wave of the season
Daily temperature records fell in 15 communities across B.C. Daily temperature records fell in 15 communities across B.C., says Environment Canada Photo by Richard Lam / PNG B.C.'s first heat wave of the season toppled daily records in more than a dozen communities on Sunday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Several records were set as large swaths of the province baked under unseasonably hot temperatures nearing 40 C in parts of the province. According to Environment Canada's preliminary data, Lytton was the province's hot spot, with the temperature hitting 39.3 C, breaking the record of 38.5 C set two years ago. Kamloops also set a record of 37 C, as did Cache Creek with 38.6 C, both beating records set in 2023. In Abbotsford, temperatures hit 31 C, a degree higher than the previous record set on June 8, 1955. Pitt Meadows also had a record-setting scorcher of a day, with a high of 32.3 C, breaking the old record of 31.7 C set in 1903. The Sea to Sky region also set temperature records, including in Whistler at 31.9 C, Squamish at 31.6 C, and Pemberton at 36.7 C. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Records were also broken in Chetwynd, Clinton, the Malahat area, Nanaimo, Princeton, Qualicum Beach and Williams Lake. An Environment Canada special weather statement says the heat wave continues for many areas of B.C., including Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Temperatures are expected to cool down in the Lower Mainland on Tuesday, although Howe Sound, Whistler, Pemberton and inland regions of Vancouver Island will continue to have high temperatures into the week. chchan@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Sports Local News Sports Vancouver Whitecaps
