Big snowpack in the Okanagan and what it could mean

With the amount of big snow that has built up at elevation the last few months, the big question is, will there be flooding concerns this spring? Officials say it's too early to know.

The province has released their first Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin of the new year. It shows while British Columbia as a whole is 18 per cent below normal, the Okanagan is sitting at 35 per cent above normal. And the Okanagan saw over 50 per cent more snow compared to last year.

“Part of that is because of the storm tracks, and the direction that they follow through the winter period of time,” hydrologist Jonathan Boyd at the River Forecast Centre told Kelowna10. “Down south in the U.S. there are some areas that have incredibly high [snowpack] ... and that spilled over into the Southern Interior.”

The Lower Thompson, at 200 per cent normal and Boundary at 129 per cent have also seen excessive snowfall so far this winter.

Asked about concerns for spring flooding in the months ahead Boyd explained anytime there’s a high snowpack mixed with heavy rain, there’s always a risk. But for now, it’s too early to tell.

“We do take into account Environment and Climate Change Canada’s longer-term seasonal forecast. They do have a greater likelihood of increased precipitation for the southern portions of the province over that January to March period of time,” he said.

While it’s a little early to forecast flooding issues, Boyd noted there is a positive given all the early snow.

“The lingering drought that lasted through the summer and into the fall, it’ll potentially be less likely to be in a drought situation because of the higher snowpack and more water available for Okanagan Lake,” he explained. “By January 1st it’s the first initial heads up of what we might expect for the spring and summer.”

On average around half of all winter snowfall has occurred by the first week of January. However, with three or more months left for snow accumulation, seasonal snowpacks can still change significantly