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Vernon
It’s back… snow expected overnight
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - We just knew it was too good to be true, Mother Nature is set to remind us winter is not quite over with a couple centimetres of snow by Friday morning and well below normal low temperatures early next week. Environment Canada is forecasting high temperatures to be within the seasonal normals of...
Early spring weather means early return of ticks
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - This spring-like weather may have you enjoying the outdoors with a hike or two, but beware, ticks are already out in full force. Hikers and dog owners are already reporting tick sightings, with one Kamloops-area hiker picking up nine in a single hike last week. In the Southern Interior the most common tick...
Flying fees edging upwards at Kelowna Airport
OKANAGAN - Flying in and out of Kelowna just got a bit more expensive with council approving an across-the-board increase in operating fees at the city-owned airport. The success of Kelowna Airport and its record passenger volumes means increased costs for maintenance, labour, utilities and technology, Noreen Redman, the airport’s corporate services manager, told council....
Spring-like weather may be interrupted by snow
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - We’ve been experiencing spring-like weather here in the Southern Interior and while that is not set to change we may see another blitz of snow before Saturday. Environment Canada is still calling for above seasonal normal temperatures during the day but with overnight lows close to seasonal normals of -3 Celsius and a...
How long will this spring weather last?
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - We saw several high temperatures records broken over the weekend and while the record breaking weather is likely over, the warm temperatures should stick around a while longer. Lisa Coldwells of Environment Canada says looking into the early part of March arctic air will stay on the other side of the Rockies and...
Near-record temperatures on tap for Valentine’s Day weekend
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you were hoping for cooler weather as an excuse to cuddle up with your Valentine this weekend you may have to look for a different excuse. Environment Canada is calling for near-record high temperatures Friday through Sunday, with Penticton the most likely city to set a new record. Penticton is expecting highs...
Coastal ski resort closures bad news for local hills
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN – With warm weather shutting down ski hills in the Lower Mainland and Washington state, hills in the Thompson-Okanagan are busier than they’ve been in ten years. But it’s not all good news. Spokespeople for all three major ski destinations in Kelowna, Vernon and Kamloops said that although business is up in the short...
Interior Health seeks outside laundry service providers
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Interior Health is moving forward with a plan to privatize laundry service in the region. The organization says it is now seeking more information from pre-qualified service providers recently identified. This will allow Interior Health to look at the external options available, something it hopes will help reduce necessary capital costs to upgrade...
Let there be rock: AC/DC Rock or Bust tour coming to Vancouver
VANCOUVER - Legendary rock band AC/DC is spending the first half of the Rock or Bust World Tour in Europe but has announced plans to tear down the house at more than a dozen North American venues at the end of the summer. With Edmonton and Vancouver on the roster for the end of September,...
Okanagan to get more residential care beds for the elderly
KELOWNA – Two cities in the Okanagan will be getting significantly more care beds for the elderly sometime in the future, according to an Interior Health announcement Tuesday. Kelowna-Mission MLA Steve Thompson says the beds, which are for seniors with complex care requirements requiring round-the-clock care, will help more than just Okanagan seniors. “These additional...
How to plan the perfect date
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - The guy or gal you have your eye on has said yes to a date, but Valentine’s Day is less than a week away and you have no idea how to plan the perfect date. Elizabeth deVries of Together By Design, says you need to think about the experience and connecting on the...
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...
SPCA fighting cruelty with kindness
MILLION ACTS OF KINDNESS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Even seemingly little things can help make the life of an animal better and B.C. SPCA wants to celebrate 120 years by fighting cruelty with kindness in 2015. The animal advocacy and rescue group launched the Million Acts of Kindness campaign this week. To launch the campaign...
STAHN: Community needs to step up to stop tagging
There’s urban art, known as graffiti to many, and then there’s tagging—the ugly scribbles, words and obscene pictures that end up on our buildings, on murals and even in tot lots. This has been a growing issue throughout the region and in the past year has hit some pretty low lows. Penises drawn on playground...
Highway 1 closed for avalanche control Friday
AVALANCHE RISK AGAIN HIGH THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - If you are heading east for the long weekend you might want to adjust your travel times. In addition to a winter driving advisory from the Shuswap to the Alberta border, delays of up to three hours are expected on Highway 1 through Glacier National Park on Friday. Drive...
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...
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...
HELSTON: A reminder that you’re innocent until proven guilty
In Canada, you’re innocent until proven guilty whether charged with murder or stealing an ice cream cone. Sure, you might not go to court over a frozen milk product, but the point is, no matter how heinous or mild the crime, the principle remains the same: an allegation is not a conviction. We brought you...
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,...
Lake Country Food Bank wins grand prize
LAKE COUNTRY – The Lake Country Food Bank is one step closer to getting the new facility it so desperately needs. In September of last year, the food bank entered into a national non-profit charity contest that gives out $1 million in prizes for deserving organizations in need. The Aviva Community Fund announced Tuesday that...
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...
UPDATE: Near zero visibility for some foggy Okanagan areas
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Environment Canada has issued a fog advisory for much of the Southern Interior. According to Environment Canada, a strong temperature inversion over southern B.C. will cause widespread, dense fog to develop over many Southern and Central Interior valleys this evening. The fog will persist until midday Tuesday. Visibility may be significantly and suddenly reduced...
Highway 1 closed for avalanche control Monday afternoon
THOMPSON-OKANAGAN - Avalanche risk is considerable to high throughout the region and crews will again be doing avalanche control in Glacier National Park to minimize the risk. The warmer temperatures and sunshine will create springlike conditions in Glacier National Park and Avalanche Canada believes this could lead to more large natural activity, leading to a...