Weather alert: heavy rain to hit Kelowna today

Kelowna residents can safely lay off the lawn sprinklers this week. The city will continue to get its fair share of the rain storm currently hitting B.C.'s Southern Interior. Last night Environment Canada issued a weather summary forecasting heavy showers later today.

By 7 p.m. last night Kelowna had between 26 and 33 mm in rainfall since Tuesday.

Forecasters attribute the change in weather to a large, slow moving low pressure system sitting over B.C. and Washington state, drawing in moisture.

How are Kelowna's orchards holding up?

Jim Eden of Eden Farms says he's happy to see his apple and cherry trees getting the extra moisture. 

"We love it," he says. "It's been really dry lately."

If the rain doesn't ease up in the next few days, he could be looking at a different scenario. 

"If trees are wet more than 30 hours or so, I would have to spray more – moisture creates a fungus on the apple leaves," he says.

Eden isn't concerned that will be the case.

"It only rains for three days here, at most."

Up to date weather reports will be available from the Environment Canada weather centre.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Julie Whittet at jwhittet@infotelnews.ca or call (250)718-0428.