Prince George, B.C.- The latest report on the snowpack  indicates the snowpack  in the Upper Fraser west  was 120% of normal for  June 1st,  while the Nechako  was 107% above normal for this time of the year. 

That’s not to say  there is increased risk of flooding,  rather that the numbers should be viewed as an indication on the progress of the melt says David Campbell  of the  River Forecast Centre..

While  the warm temperatures in May  saw the level of the Fraser at South Fort rise,   that river  hit a high of  8.4 meters on the weekend  and  has since receded to 7.2 meters.

That’s not to say  the  flood danger is over,  as  continuing warm temperatures and  significant rainfall could combine  to  increase  the level of the Fraser before this freshet is over.

“We are starting to see in  most, if not all, areas of the province,  even with the warm weather of the past few days, that  influence of snowmelt is starting to decline and we are seeing declining flood risk through most of the province” says Campbell.

It is the Okanagan which is being hit hard this year.

In that region, the snowpack was 228% of normal, and  inflows to lakes in that area from March to  the end of May  are 226% of normal,  about 10% higher than they have been  in 96 years.

The  Okanagan situation is  being compounded by a high snowpack and extreme hot temperatures which triggered  a rapid snowmelt resulting in  very high freshet flows.  But Campbell says  the hot weather should  ease over the next coupe of days and that  should  reduce the risk of flooding.

“Rain really is going to be the big driver going forward” says Campbell “In the near term there is some rain coming at us” says Campbell  who says  the Peace Region, and some areas of northern B.C. “Are at risk of  fairly high rainfall amounts  that may pose some flood risks for those regions for the remainder  of this week  and over the weekend, we will be watching that  closely and updating advisories associated with that.”