Here comes freezing rain
Periods of snow, freezing rain and rain are in store for the Okanagan this weekend.
Environment Canada issued freezing rain warnings for the South, Central and North Okanagan Friday, warning about icy roads and potential travel delays.
“We’ve seen patchy freezing rain as low as the lake level over the last 24 hours,” Environment Canada meteorologist Doug Lundquist said Friday morning. “We’ll see conditions warm up enough that right next to Okanagan Lake it might turn to showers or flurries, but the chance of freezing rain may continue to high terrain or side valleys into next week.”
Early next week, temperatures will start to warm and we could see some snow melting, said Lundquist.
“But later next week, another cooling phase is coming,” he said, adding it likely will not get as cold as it was over the Christmas holidays.
“It looks like that deep cold air we had for a week and a half to 10 days starting before Christmas to the New Year is past, and we may be in a warmer pattern for the next few weeks,” said Lundquist. “I think maybe we’ve turned from the coldest part of winter into a general warming pattern, but it’s early yet.”
Today’s forecast high in Kelowna is 2 C with a 40 per cent chance of flurries or rain showers late in the afternoon.
The record high for Jan. 6 in Kelowna was 10 C in 1923 and the record low was -30 C in 1909. The record snowfall for Jan. 6 was 31.5 cm in 1962. Today’s forecast in Penticton is mainly cloudy with a high of 2 C.
The record high for Jan. 6 in Penticton was 9.1 C in 1990 and the record low was -17.5 C in 1982. The record snowfall for Jan. 6 was 11.2 cm in 2009. Sunday’s forecast high in Kelowna and Penticton is –1 C with a 60 per cent change of flurries.
The high in Vernon is forecast to be 1 C today and –1 C on Sunday with a 60 per cent chance of flurries.
The City of Kelowna was expected to clear snow in the downtown core Friday night.
“Crews have been working around the clock to clear priority one roads, which include high traffic roadways and commuter routes,” said Stephen Bryans, roadway operations supervisor.
“Typically lower elevation areas like the downtown core will melt fairly quickly, but with cool temperatures and a record snowfall, that’s not the case this year.”
Other areas including South Pandosy and Rutland were also to be cleared during overnight shifts, weather permitting.
“We understand that some areas remain an issue, and we are working to clear those roads as soon as possible,” said Bryans. “However, if another snowfall happens before the completion of priority two or three roads, we will need to return to priority one.”
The City of Kelowna owns 21 snow removal trucks and three graders, along with five sidewalk plows.
The City of West Kelowna is asking residents to clear snow and ice from fire hydrants.
Environment Canada issued freezing rain warnings for Howe Sound, Whistler, the Fraser Valley, Peace, Fort Nelson and the Kootenays.
The forecast says conditions are expected to improve today, although the rain may transition into flurries in some areas.
The Ministry of Transportation has issued travel advisories for a number of highways.