Tropical air bringing snow and rain to the Okanagan

The new year promises to start on a wet and windy note in the Okanagan the first few days into 2020.

Environment Canada meteorologist Bobby Sekhon says rain is expected to begin this evening in the Okanagan, Jan. 2, with snow over higher terrain. The North Okanagan and parts of Kelowna could get up to five centimetres of snow before it changes to rain showers.

"Penticton doesn’t look to be as wet. The Okanagan in general should see periods of rain with the snow level close to the valley bottom with less precipitation in the South Okanagan,” he says.

Sekhon says temperatures are notably on the rise through tomorrow, with highs up to nine degrees higher than normal for this time of year thanks to a Pineapple Express.

“We have an influx of warm, tropical air from just north of Hawaii, resulting in rainfall warnings on the coast and some inland areas. There’s lots of moisture on the way,” he says.

Sekhon advises motorists to keep an eye on DriveBC for higher elevation conditions.

“The valley bottoms don’t look like they will be too bad,” he says.

A special weather statement issued by Environment Canada warns of an approaching winter storm that will give widespread snow into the Interior this evening which should end in the Okanagan and Kamloops by tomorrow morning.

The weather office is calling for a mainly cloudy day today, Jan. 2, in Kelowna with a high of 2 C. The snow tonight is expected to change to rain showers before morning. The forecast calls for two to 4 centimetres of snow locally with up to five centimetres over higher terrain. The temperature should remain steady near 0 C overnight.

In Vernon, mainly cloudy today with a 40 per cent chance of flurries and a high of 1 C. Up to five cm of snow are expected overnight with the temperature steady around 0 C.

The forecast calls for a cloudy day in Penticton with a 40 per cent chance of showers late this afternoon and a snow level of 600 metres. The wind will be south at 30 km/h gusting to 40 before becoming south at 20 km/h this afternoon. Penticton is expecting a high of 4 C today. Periods of rain are expected overnight with the snow level rising to 800 metres. The wind is expected to be south at 30 km/h gusting to 50, with a low of 1 C rising to 5 C by morning.

Friday should see cloudy skies and a 60 per cent chance of morning showers, with flurries over higher ground. Friday’s high should reach 6 C in Kelowna, 3 C in Vernon and 7 C in Penticton, followed by cloudy periods and a low of 0 C overnight. Overnight Friday there is a 40 per cent chance of showers along with windy conditions throughout the valley.

Saturday should see a mix of sun and cloud with a 40 per cent chance of showers and a high of 2 C. Cloudy periods and a low of 1 C is expected overnight.

Mainly cloudy skies are expected to prevail on Sunday along with a 60 per cent chance of showers and a high to 2 C. It’s expected to remain cloudy overnight with a 30 per cent chance of flurries and low of -6 C.

A mix of sun and cloud is forecast for Monday with a high of 0 C. There’s a 60 per cent chance of flurries overnight Monday with a low of -2 C.

Tuesday is expected to be mainly cloudy with a 60 per cent chance of flurries and a high of 1 C. Cloudy skies and a 30 per cent chance of flurries are forecast for Tuesday night, along with a low to -3 C.

More clouds are expected Wednesday with a high of 1 C.

Normal temperatures for this time of year in the Okanagan are highs of around -2 C and lows of approximately -8 C.

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