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Weather
Local flooding possible as El Nino-like weather melts lower snowpack
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – It doesn’t happen often, but a perfect alignment of the right conditions may cause some flooding in the Southern Interior. The warm Pacific air bombarding the region, thanks to the Pineapple Express, is creating above normal temperatures, which in turn are starting to melt the lower elevation snowpack. Add the still frozen ground...
Record breaking warm temperatures
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If it felt like spring on Friday it might have been the record breaking spring-like high temperatures. Four communities in the Thompson-Okanagan broke high temperature records on Feb. 6. The high temperature recorded at the Kelowna Airport was 11.7 C, snapping the old record of 7.6 C in 1978, according to Environment Canada....
Heavy snow and freezing rain on the way
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - A winter storm is bringing heavy snow to much of the province today and tonight and the Southern Interior is no exception. Environment Canada says to expect heavy snow on Highway 1 from Eagle Pass to Rogers Pass—up to 25 centimetres by Friday morning—and on Highway 3 from Paulson Summit to Kootenay Pass....
Spring is in the air
TEMPERATURES TO WARM, RAIN TO FALL THOMPSON-OKANAGAN — If you’ve been dreaming of spring weather, this weekend could be your dream come true with temperatures hovering near the double digits, and bringing rain. Lots of rain. Wednesday temperatures will hover just above seasonal normals of 1 Celsius, according to Environment Canada, but by Friday will...
Thin ice warning for Vernon’s Swan lake
VERNON - Authorities are warning the public to stay safe around Swan Lake. With warming temperatures over the last week, the ice on the lake has thinned significantly. Police and Vernon Search and Rescue were told three people walking on the ice fell through, and that’s prompting some cautionary words. “This is very concerning as...
Heavy snow for the Coquihalla
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – A strong, moist southwesterly flow is going to make travel on the Coquihalla Highway a challenge. The weather system will bring a mix of rain and two to four centimetres of wet snow to the summit this afternoon, Feb. 2, according to a special weather statement issued by Environment Canada. “As freezing levels...
February kicks off with snowfall
SKI HILLS CELEBRATE THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - February kicked off much the same way January did, with a dump of snow. In Kamloops the snow had mostly tapered off by noon on Sunday, Feb. 1 while in Kelowna a mix of snow and rain persisted into the early evening. Penticton had just a bit of snow on...
More avalanche control along Highway 1
RISK REDUCED WITH LOWER TEMPERATURES THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Temperatures will be just above normal the rest of this week but with the cooling temperatures comes the perfect opportunity for crews to perform avalanche control in Glacier National Park. Highway 1 through Glacier National Park will again be closed for a brief time this afternoon, Jan. 28,...
Temperatures fall short of records
CALGARY GOT OUR HEAT THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It looked like we might set new records this week with temperatures expected to hit double digits, but that hope appears to have skipped right over the Interior and into Alberta, where Calgarians enjoyed temperatures nearly 20 degrees above normal over the weekend. Environment Canada was originally calling for...
Fog causes cancellation, delays at YLW
KELOWNA – The heavy fog that settled over Kelowna Monday morning is affecting both arriving and departing flights at Kelowna International Airport. YLW spokesperson Jenelle Hynes says so far they have only had to cancel a Westjet flight to Vancouver but more are possible. “It’s pea soup here,” she says. “We were having zero visibility...
Double-digit temperatures on the way
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - It’s nearly the end of January, a time of year when winter can rear its ugly head. Luckily for us Mother Nature has decided to tame Old Man Winter for at least a little while and we can expect temperatures to reach the double-digits across the region. Temperatures will be close to seasonal...
Heavy snow making travel to and from Vancouver or Alberta challenging
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – More heavy snow tonight will continue to make road travel out of the Thompson-Okanagan a challenge. The latest special weather statement from Environment says a Pacific frontal system over the B.C. Interior continues to produce snow today, Jan. 18. Forecasters expect up to another 10 centimetres of snow to fall on the Trans...
More snow on the way this weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The temperatures are warming up but we are not out of the woods when it comes to snow just yet, Mother Nature may add another layer of the white stuff before the weekend is over. According to Environment Canada people in Kamloops can expect snow today, Friday, Jan. 16, and Saturday along with...
UPDATE: Heavy snow on the way
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - More snow is in the forecast for the North Okanagan, Shuswap and North Thompson areas. Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning for the North Okanagan and Shuswap regions at 1:54 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015, calling for approximately 10 cm of snow. By 7:30 p.m. the warning was extended to include the North...
Clean up after snow storm costs city $400,000
KAMLOOPS - Between regular city staffing hours, overtime, hiring contractors and the cost of hauling snow about a quarter of the snow removal budget has already been spent less than two weeks into the new year. Public Works Director Jen Fretz says the city spent $160,000 on regular staffing and another $240,000 on overtime, contractors...
Temperatures continue upswing
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - After a dump of nearly 40 centimetres of snow in many parts of the Southern Interior we are now looking at temperatures above seasonal normals all week. According to Environment Canada we can expect to see highs of about 2 Celsius Monday and Tuesday and of 0 C Wednesday and Thursday. By the...
Equipment break down delays Vernon snow removal
VERNON - Machinery issues have set back snow removal efforts in Vernon. Snow clearing on 27 Street was delayed Wednesday due to mechanical difficulties with the city’s large snow blower, communications coordinator Tanya Laing Gahr said in a media release. The blower was repaired late Wednesday and snow removal in the downtown core picked up...
PHOTOS AND VIDEOS: Snow-dogs of the Thompson-Okanagan
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - You’d think four legs are better for getting around in the snow than two. But that’s not the case when you’re a dog and the snow is higher than you are. Like us humans, some Thompson-Okanagan dogs embraced the snow this week, while others sulked about it. You’ll see some grumpy dog faces...
What Vernon can expect from city plows Wednesday
VERNON - City of Vernon road crews expect to have all residential roads and cul-de-sacs plowed by mid-morning Wednesday. After that, they will begin plowing and sanding all areas of the city, communications coordinator Tanya Laing Gahr said in a release. Snow removal will continue on 27 Street until noon Wednesday. Late Tuesday night, crews...
‘Sno-show’ employees plague hospital during storm
KELOWNA — While many local businesses and institutions shut down in the face of Sunday’s extreme weather, the hospital had no such luxury. But even as chaos reigned on the city’s roads, hospital managers say the epic snowstorm that plastered the Okanagan had little impact on Kelowna General Hospital because they found needed replacements. “While...
Vernon, North Okanagan-Shuswap School Districts call students back to class
UPDATE: POWER BACK ON IN MOST SHUSWAP SCHOOLS, CLASSES A GO NORTH OKANAGAN - The North Okanagan-Shuswap and Vernon School Districts are welcoming students back to class Wednesday, Jan. 7. The green light from the ditricts comes after two snow days due to severe weather. School District 83 hadn’t called a snow day in decades....
Vernon maintenance crews move onto side streets
VERNON - City of Vernon crews are finally moving onto residential streets after more than 24 hours of continuous snowfall. According to city communications coordinator Tanya Laing Gahr crews have plowed and sanded all main roads and are now shifting to side streets. The snowstorm dumped over 35 cm of snow on roadways. Starting late...
Ski resorts rejoice as heavens open up with major snowfall
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – If you listen closely, you can hear the shouts of pure joy from skiers and boarders throughout the region. The dump of snow making our lives miserable in the valley bottoms is just what the ski resorts in the Thompson-Okanagan were hoping for. Kelowna’s Big White received 29 centimetres of fresh “Champagne” powder...
Second snow day in a row for North Okanagan-Shuswap students
SCHOOL DISTRICTS 22 AND 83 CANCEL CLASS VERNON - Students in the Vernon and North Okanagan-Shuswap School Districts are getting a second snow day Tuesday, Jan. 6. School District 83 announced Monday evening it will be shutting down all schools due to the continued winter storm warning and Environment Canada’s prediction of freezing rain. District...