Fraser Watershed Snowpack Normal but Skeena Higher than Normal

By 250 News

The latest  snowpack bulletin indicates there  are some areas of the province which are already seeing a higher than normal snowpack. 

After an atypically mild November, with temperatures fluctuating between two and three degrees higher than usual, December brought unseasonably cold temperatures three to five degrees below the norm. During the last 10 days of 2008, the sustained cold brought
substantial snow accumulations at sea level on Vancouver Island and the South Coast, and contributed to significant valley-bottom accumulations throughout the Interior.

Synopsis:

Following the cold December, an intense warm and wet frontal storm hit the South Coast on Jan. 6, bringing two days of heavy rain and flooding to parts of Vancouver Island, Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. This resulted in very large accumulations of snow in the mountainous areas of the South Coast, and brought heavy snow to the South Interior. Snowpacks on the South Coast that were near record low levels on Jan. 5 increased dramatically by Jan. 8.

Current Snowpack:

Due to the Jan. 6-8 snowstorms, snow conditions have changed significantly since the provincial snow survey conducted around Jan. 1.

As of Jan. 9, the northern half of the province, including the Skeena, Nass, Peace, Liard and Stikine basins, has above normal snowpacks. The Upper Fraser, Nechako and Thompson basins are all near normal. The Kootenay, Columbia, Okanagan, Kettle and Similkameen basins received very heavy snow falls on Jan. 6-8, but remain slightly below normal.

Despite last week's heavy snowfalls, snowpacks in the South Coast and on Vancouver Island are also well below normal.

Water Supply Outlook:
On average, nearly half of the peak snowpack for the year had already accumulated by Jan. 1. The near or above normal snow accumulation in many areas provides a favourable outlook for spring and summer streamflow and water supply. Below normal snow conditions on Vancouver Island and the South Coast may result in below normal streamflow and water supply in those areas this summer if low snowpack conditions continue.

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