May another warm, dry month in Okanagan, Kamloops

Drought conditions are causing concerns, and while May could have been worse for Kamloops and the Okanagan it wasn’t much help.

Kelowna had 26.6 millimetres of precipitation out of a normal of 40 mm, Vernon had 28 mm out of a normal 44 mm and both cities were two degrees Celsius above normal temperatures around 17 C.

Kamloops and Penticton were just short of normal precipitation with 26 mm for Kamloops and 30 mm for Penticton. Kamloops had a monthly mean temperature of 17 C and the normal is 15 C. Penticton had a mean temperature of 16 C and the normal is 14 C.

Last week saw some significant rainfall in Kamloops and the Okanagan leading to some significant water pooling on highways in the region.

Environment Canada meteorologist Chloe Katsademas said this week said there’s some more rain in the forecast to help with the dry conditions.

“At the start of the week, we’ve got some warm temperatures, a bit drier, and then coming into the weekend, closer to Thursday to Saturday, some precipitation for Vernon, Kelowna, and Penticton,” she said.

It’s unclear whether it will be enough to make up for months of low precipitation.

As of May 15, the Okanagan was at 16 per cent of normal snowpack, South Thompson was at 49 per cent of normal snowpack, and the province as a whole was at 71 per cent of normal, according to the BC River Forecast Centre.

The Sylx Okanagan Nation declared a watershed emergency last week because of the low snowpack and lack of rain.

In April there was barely any precipitation in Kamloops and the Okanagan. Kamloops had 12 per cent of normal rainfall, Kelowna had 27 per cent of normal, Vernon had 22 per cent of normal and Penticton had 21 per cent of normal.