Arctic blast expected this weekend in Kamloops

PENTICTON – After a warmer and drier than normal January, Kamloops residents could be in for a blast of winter weather with the start of February this weekend.

Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon says arctic air is expected to push into the Southern Interior on Saturday night, bringing plunging temperatures and snow to Kamloops.

Sekhon says the arctic front is not as intense as the “long wave pattern” or polar vortex affecting the rest of the nation, where the deep freeze has drawn The Weather Network to make comparisons to temperatures on Mars. In Toronto, the Toronto Transit Commission suspended train service on Scarborough’s line 3 after fighting a losing battle to clear the line of snow in brutally cold conditions.

“We’re going to see cold arctic air, but more in form of an arctic front. It will be somewhat similar, but not as extreme,” Sekhon says.

A front coming through Kamloops today, Jan. 31, will be followed by another this evening, bringing a chance of flurries tonight. The city can expect a high of 3 Celsius under mostly cloudy skies today with a 60 per cent chance of rain or flurries tonight and a low of 1 C.

There is a 60 per cent chance of flurries or showers tomorrow morning which will turn to showers by noon with a high of 5 C and an overnight low of -1 C.

Saturday will see increasingly cloudy skies with a high of 5 C. Saturday night the winds will pick up and snow will begin with temperatures plummeting to -12 C.

The snow is forecast to continue into Sunday with a daytime high of -11C and an overnight low dipping to -14 C.

The arctic cold will continue into next week with a high of -11 C on Monday under a mix of sun and cloud.

“It’s time to get out heavy winter clothing and take steps to ensure your plumbing doesn’t freeze,” Sekhon advises.

Monday night’s expected low of -17 C is 11 degrees colder than normal for this time of year in Kamloops.

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