Snow pack melting fast in Southern Interior

CREEKS AND STREAMS RUNNING HIGH BUT STEADY

THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – Spring freshet, the annual snow melt, is four weeks early this year, the result of continued warm weather across the province.

B.C. River Forecast Centre in its provincial river outlook reports the average snow pack has dropped rapidly from 92 per cent of normal April 1 to 63 per cent May 1.

While stream flows are above normal due to the early melt, the centre says more moderate weather of the last few weeks has kept river levels relatively stable.

While still warm, temperatures this weekend will be less extreme but will still likely cause rivers to rise, especially in the Southern Interior.

Expect unsettled weather next week, followed by more pressure ridges and generally stable conditions.

A flood warning issued April 19 which included Kelowna's Mission Creek was withdrawn April 25.

The unseasonably warm weather has caused Greater Vernon’s water reservoirs to spill earlier than normal, and it's possible that could cause problems for the region's water supply.

Find more stories about River Forecasts here.


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John McDonald

John began life as a journalist through the Other Press, the independent student newspaper for Douglas College in New Westminster. The fluid nature of student journalism meant he was soon running the place, learning on the fly how to publish a newspaper.

It wasn’t until he moved to Kelowna he broke into the mainstream media, working for Okanagan Sunday, then the Kelowna Daily Courier and Okanagan Saturday doing news graphics and page layout. He carried on with the Kelowna Capital News, covering health and education while also working on special projects, including the design and launch of a mass market daily newspaper. After 12 years there, John rejoined the Kelowna Daily Courier as editor of the Westside Weekly, directing news coverage as the Westside became West Kelowna.

But digital media beckoned and John joined Kelowna.com as assistant editor and reporter, riding the start-up as it at first soared then went down in flames. Now John is turning dirt as city hall reporter for iNFOnews.ca where he brings his long experience to bear on the civic issues of the day.

If you have a story you think people should know about, email John at jmcdonald@infonews.ca