You’ll need a toque: First blast of Arctic air on its way to Okanagan, Kamloops

It’s time to get out the cold weather gear as Kamloops and Okanagan residents prepare for the first Arctic outbreak this winter.

Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa Erviin says the way the weather has played out this season, it’s going to feel like winter is happening in reverse this year.

“We had a really mild December and January, with the odd day here and there of low temperatures, but this is the first real Arctic front that is going to sweep through the province of B.C.,” she says.

After settling in sometime on Sunday, Feb. 7, Ervin says the cold blast is expected to last several days, at least until Wednesday or Thursday.

“We’ll start to feel that change on Sunday night, with a low reaching down to -8 Celsius, as Arctic air settles in place for the first half of next week,” she says.

It’s expected to be a somewhat short-lived event, but with overnight lows expected to dip into the minus double digits Monday through Wednesday, the cold snap could provide another opportunity for the Okanagan icewine harvest.

Before the cold blast hits Kamloops and the Okanagan, the valleys can expect several centimetres of snow, starting late tonight and lasting through Saturday.

Ervin says Kamloops should see two to four cm with the north and central Okanagan seeing two to six cm.

“The further south, you’ll see slightly warmer temperatures, so you’re not likely to see snow in Penticton or the south Okanagan,” Ervin says.

If you're feeling upset about the prospect of some cold weather, after a relatively easy winter so far, don't feel too bad. The Arctic blast is already affecting the prairies and northern Canada, with the Weather Network reporting temperatures as low as -67 C in Lupin, NWT.

Saskatoon is expected to reach a high of only -31 C on Sunday, while Edmonton is forecast to reach a balmy -29 C.

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