Big melt coming this weekend in Okanagan, Kamloops

The short blast of Arctic air that brought cold and snow to the Thompson and Okanagan regions overnight will be followed by warm temperatures on the weekend that should melt a good bit of the snow covering the ground.

But, first, there’s a chance of as much as four centimetres of snow tomorrow, Feb. 4, before the warmer temperatures arrive.

Environment Canada calls for two to four cm of snow in the Kelowna and Vernon areas starting in the morning, light snow in Kamloops and two cm in Penticton.

Then weekend temperatures are forecast in the 4 Celsius to 5 C range in the Okanagan over the weekend before hitting 7 C on Monday, with mostly sunny skies.

The weekend forecast for Kamloops is for highs of only 3 C on the weekend under sunny skies then hitting 7 C to 9 C into next week.

Travel through the mountain passes could be tricky with a 40% chance of flurries today, possibly changing to freezing rain this evening on the Coquihalla Highway from Hope to Merritt.

Friday could see 5 C of snow on the highway changing to rain as snow levels rise to 1,200 metres in the afternoon.

Travel should be better from Merritt to Kamloops with a 40% chance of flurries this morning turning to cloudy skies tonight and about two cm of snow Friday ending early in the afternoon.

The Okanagan Connector has a 60% chance of flurries this morning and gusty winds through the night. There could be two to 4 cm of snow Friday morning.

The chance of flurries on Highway 3 from Hope to Princeton rises to 70% tonight from 40% this morning. There’s a chance of freezing drizzle this evening and 2 to 4 cm Friday with gusty winds.

Alpine snow base on regional ski hills:

202 cm – Sun Peaks
161 cm – Silver Star
178 cm – Big White
164 cm – Apex

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