Okanagan

Cool, wet week in store for the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The mercury has dropped and rain is expected to fall as summer break wraps up this week. With Environment Canada calling for high temperatures to only reach the mid- to high-teens all week, you can expect temperatures to remain quite a bit below seasonal normals of 23 Celsius for a high and 11...

Communities on edge: Thompson-Okanagan fire officials field calls for false alarms

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Fire appears to be at the forefront of many peoples’ minds across the Thompson-Okanagan. With wildfires burning across the province and a blanket of smoke from Washington hanging in the air, fire officials say they are receiving a number of reports which are in fact nothing more than false alarms. In the North...

Local man documents entire CN rail corridor for posterity

KELOWNA – An Okanagan man with a passion for local history has begun work on a video he hopes will preserve the significance of the CN Rail corridor for generations to come. Alan Gatzke spent dozens of hours and thousands of dollars from his own pocket to modify his pickup so it could be used...

Severe thunderstorm watch for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - After a record day in the Okanagan temperatures are set to cool down and we can expect to see heavy rain and possibly severe thunderstorms over the next couple of days. Yesterday, Aug. 13, a new high temperature record was set in Kelowna, 37.8 Celsius, with Vernon, at 36.5 C, and Penticton, at...

Despite a spike in water-related deaths, drownings down overall

VERNON - A number of water-related deaths in the Thompson-Okanagan over the past month have brought the topic to the forefront of many people’s minds, but the province’s Lifesaving Society says the number of drowning deaths is actually down considerably so far this year. Just this past weekend, a 27-year-old man was critically injured while...

New weather record set in the Okanagan; heavy rain on the way

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It only took until mid-afternoon for Kelowna to tie the high temperature record for Aug. 13, and within the hour a new record was set.  By 4 p.m. Environment Canada was reporting a temperature of 37.3 Celsius, just above the 36.7 C record set in 1990. At 36 C, Vernon still has a...

Gas prices going up in the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - Gas prices are rising throughout Canada and the Okanagan is no exception. According to GasBuddy, an online tracking system for gas prices, only about a dozen stations remain below 130 cents per litre this afternoon, Aug. 13, in Kelowna while about seven stations sit at 129.9 cents per litre. Many stations have jumped...

Feast of Fields has new location for farm to table festival

KELOWNA – The 7th annual festival celebrating locally grown food is happening in Kelowna this weekend. Okanagan Feast of Fields is one of three chapters started by FarmFolk CityFolk, a Vancouver organization dedicated to celebrating sustainable, local foods. Feast of Fields, which also takes place in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, is a four-hour wandering gourmet...

Premier meteor shower to light up the sky this week

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - One of the best meteor showers of the year is set to peak this week, sending up to 60 shooting stars through the sky every hour. The Perseids meteor shower is visible from July 17 to Aug. 24 every year and is set to peak overnight Wednesday, Aug. 12 this year. Environment Canada...

Okanagan set to break record temperatures this week

OKANAGAN - Grab your sunscreen, hat and a cool drink, we have a hot, sunny and likely record-breaking week ahead of us in the Okanagan. Temperatures soared above the 30 Celsius mark over the weekend, well above the 27 C seasonal normal high for this time of year, but we can expect things to get...

Warm, sunny weekend on tap for the Okanagan

OKANAGAN - After a break from the heat we will need to again dig out the sunscreen for a hot and sunny weekend. While temperatures were in the low- to mid-20s the last two days, just below seasonal normal highs of 27 Celsius, and were accompanied by up to eight millimetres of rain, we can...

Hot start to August in the Okanagan

RAIN EXPECTED THIS WEEK OKANAGAN - It was a hot and sunny August long weekend in the Okanagan but expect things will cool off a bit during the week. Temperatures easily soared above the 30 Celsius mark every day this past weekend and while today, Aug. 4, will see the mercury hit just above seasonal...

Run away from your smoking addiction

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A new program is popping up around the country which will help you run away from your problems. The Running Room is launching a Run To Quit program, which will be backed by federal funding and support from the Canadian Cancer Society. The program is designed to help smokers quit by incorporating running...

Okanagan to enjoy a sunny and hot long weekend

OKANAGAN - It looks like Mother Nature will be showing off again this weekend, with hot temperatures and lots of sun expected for the August long weekend. Following highs in the low-30s Thursday, Environment Canada is calling for temperatures to reach 36 Celsius in Vernon and Kelowna today, July 31, and 34 C in Penticton....

Fire risk high and heading higher into B.C. Day long weekend

DON'T BE STUPID WITH FIRE THIS LONG WEEKEND THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - There are currently two fires of note and more than a dozen active fires burning in the Kamloops Fire Centre and with yet another hot, dry week ahead of us the fire danger rating is quickly heading into the extreme level throughout the region once...

Formula 1 tunnel boat race team joins fight against mussel infestation

KELOWNA – The Okanagan Basin Water Board is teaming up with Formula 1 Tunnel Boat racer Mike McLellan to raise awareness for their Don’t Move a Mussel campaign. The announcement was made Tuesday, July 28, at the Water Street boat launch in downtown Kelowna. The Don’t Move A Mussel campaign is attempting to raise awareness...

Eyes to the sky: Full moon and meteor shower this week

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - An annual meteor shower is set to put on a display this week and it looks like Mother Nature is going to cooperate with warm temperatures and clear skies this time around, but the full moon will likely put a damper on the show. The Delta Aquarids meteor shower runs annually for about...

Coolest weekend of July over, sun and heat on the way for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - The weekend was much cooler than what we’ve seen so far this summer, but we will be back above seasonal normals by mid-week. With temperatures only reaching the low- to mid-20s Friday through Sunday it was one of the coolest weekends we’ve seen in the past couple of months. Temperatures did reach the...

Cool, wet weekend in store for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - This weekend should offer a reprieve from the hot, dry weather that has led to a number of wildfires burning around the region. Today, July 24, highs will range from 25 Celsius to 28 C, according to Environment Canada. Skies will be a mix of sun and cloud and there is a 30...

Smoky skies advisory issued for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - It may come as little surprise given the number of fires burning in the area, but a smoky skies advisory has been issued for the entire Okanagan. The special air quality statement was issued by the Ministry of Environment and the Interior Health Authority yesterday evening, July 21, for the entire Okanagan, including...

Penticton RCMP want help finding man with outstanding warrants

PENTICTON - A man known to be violent and considered a risk to public safety is wanted by Penticton RCMP. Officers are asking for help in locating Jessy Michaud, who has three outstanding warrants for his arrest as of July 17. The 46-year-old Caucasian is 5’9” tall and 161 lbs with brown hair and blue...

Sunny week ahead for Okanagan

OKANAGAN - It was a hot, sunny and stormy weekend and this week is expected to be a bit closer to normal Okanagan summer weather. Temperatures reached as high as 36 Celsius Sunday as storms rolled through the region. While there is a risk of thunderstorms again today the chance of rain forecast for the...