Warming trend this week in the Okanagan

KELOWNA  – The frosty start to March is going to last a few more days, and more snow will fall this week, but Environment Canada says warmer days are on the way.

Meteorologist Carmen Hart says this morning's temperatures were the second coldest on record in Vernon, Kelowna and Penticton. Hart says temperatures will begin moderating later this week.

Today, March 4, in the Okanagan the wind chill will feel like -14 Celsius this morning, warming up to -5 C this afternoon. The real temperature high will be -1 C under sunny conditions, with a clear overnight expected and a low of -10 C.

Tomorrow will start off sunny but clouds are expected to roll in by the afternoon with a high of 1 C and a wind chill in the -13 C range in the morning. There is a 60 per cent of flurries through the late afternoon.

Periods of snow are forecast for the Okanagan region Wednesday, lasting into the night with a high of -1 C and a low of -4 C. Snowfall amounts could be significant, with five centimetres expected. Some parts of the valley might see as much as 10 cm.

On Thursday, temperatures start to warm up under a mix of sun and cloud along with a 60 per cent chance of flurries. Expect a high of 3 C and an overnight low of -8 C.

Both sunshine and cloud is the forecast for Friday with a high of 3 C and an overnight low of -4 C.

Daytime highs will soar under sunny skies on the weekend to a high of 7 C on Saturday and 8 C on Sunday. The mercury will drop to around -4 C overnight both days.

Hart says temperatures are expected to continue to moderate this month.

"Spring should be on time this year," she says.

Normal temperatures at this time of year in the Okanagan are highs of around 6 C and lows of about -3 C.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad or call 250-488-3065 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.