With warmer weather having arrived in Northeast BC, concerns are now turning to the on-going drought situation.
BC’s River Forecast Centre says that April’s snowpack level in the Peace Region currently sits at 76 per cent of normal. That’s a slight drop from the 79 percent in March.
The Fort Nelson and the surrounding Liard region shows that the snowpack is 81 per cent of normal. That’s an 18 percent decrease from the previous month.
The River Forecast Centre said as far as the ongoing drought situation, these numbers are ‘cause for concern.’
British Columbia’s overall snowpack increased slightly throughout March, but the average is still sitting at just 79 per cent of what’s considered normal, and the province is sounding the alarm about the potential for drought.
The latest provincial snow survey and water supply bulletin says the snowpack is higher than April 1, 2024, when the average was 63 per cent of normal.
Still, the bulletin says the low snowpack and freshet forecasts combined with warm weather expected over the coming season and the “lingering impacts” of ongoing drought all point toward an elevated drought risk this spring and summer.
The bulletin says that seasonal weather forecasts from Environment Canada in late March indicate a greater likelihood of above-normal temperatures for B.C. through to June.
It notes La Nina years can often mean cooler conditions in April resulting in delayed snowmelt and the potential for late-season accumulation compared with El Nino or neutral years.
“However, seasonal weather forecasts are indicating an increased chance of a warmer spring across B.C.,” the bulletin says.
“In the Rockies and northeast, upper-low weather patterns can extend the flood season into July. Therefore, precipitation poses a flood risk through the spring even with limited snowpack,” says the bulletin released this week.
“Spring weather conditions and the date of seasonal snowmelt will be key factors for potential drought hazards,” it adds.
With files from The Canadian Press.