The Okanagan may be enjoying a warmer year than usual, but this could mean flooding as we head into spring.

According to data from the BC River Forecast Centre, temperatures the entire province of B.C. stayed well above normal through the month of March, which was also generally a wet month.

Precipitation was above normal across most of the province for the month, except in the central interior where it was closer to normal.

Even though the weather has been warm, wet conditions led to seasonal snow pack growth.

In the Okanagan and Boundary, basin index values increased, although the rest of the province is mostly normal.   

In the region, snow packs are well above normal (>120%).

Photo Credit: BC River Forecast Centre.

Warm weather has caused the low to mid elevation snow packs across the province to diminish this season, and everything has begun melting over the past week.  The transition from snow building up to melting is about two or three weeks earlier than usual this season.

With warm temperatures, mid-season melt, and rain, most rivers in B.C. have experienced well above normal streamflow (150% to 200% of median value) over the past several months. Snow melt runoff has passed earlier than usual. As of early April, almost all the rivers in the province were flowing well above normal for the time of year.

This early runoff is will likely lead to a freshet this season, both in terms of timing of peak flows and the recession to the low-flow season.

Seasonal forecasts from Environment Canada show that B.C. can expect warmer than normal temperatures continuing from April to June, and even through the summer. .

High snow pack in the Okanagan basin means a higher risk of flooding in the region.

Because of the warmer weather so far, which is expected to continue, this year’s freshet season will likely be affected.

Typically, peak flows in most snow-dominated rivers in the province reach their peak from mid-May through late-June, but this year it will likely be advanced to late-April/early-June.

With ongoing warm weather expected over the next two weeks snow will continue to melt as snow packs ripen. River levels will likely rise quite a bit in the next few weeks.

The River Forecast Centre will continue to monitor snow pack conditions and will provide an update in May.