B.C.’s lack of snow over the winter is creating some serious concerns for the upcoming summer season.
In an update Wednesday, B.C.’s Ministry of Water, Land, and Resource Stewardship said the province’s snowpack as of April 1 was “extremely low,” with it averaging 63 per cent of normal.
“It is the lowest snowpack on record since 1970, at least, for the province and the Fraser River,” the ministry said in its snow and water supply bulletin.
“Based on active stations, and using the 1991-2020 normal period, the five previous low April 1st snowpack levels since 1970 were 2015 (65% of normal),
1981 (68%), 1977 (70%), 1993 (72%), and 2005 (72%).”
The ministry shared that this time last year, prior to the province’s worst wildfire season on record, the snowpack was averaging 88 per cent across B.C.
The province has seen continued dry conditions through much of March, the ministry explained, with many locations in the north and interior regions measuring “near record low precipitation for the last month.”
“Several locations recorded their 2nd and 4th lowest total March precipitation, including Quesnel, Williams Lake, Prince George, Dease Lake, Chetwynd, Fort St. John and Fort Nelson.”
The only region in the province with near-normal snowpack is the Northwest, with 105 per cent. However, a dozen stations have record low packs: Upper Fraser East (1 snow site), Nechako (3), Bridge (1), Quesnel (3), North Thompson (1), South Thompson (1), Upper Columbia (3), West Kootenay (1), Okanagan (2), Peace (4), SkeenaNass (7) and Liard (1).
The ministry says B.C. is still under the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
“Typically, El Niño conditions are linked to warmer winters across B.C., with below normal snowpacks and earlier snowmelt. Each El Niño is unique, and El Niño conditions are not necessarily a strong predictor of snowpack characteristics; however, B.C.’s weather and snowpack in winter 2023-2024 have followed patterns that would typically be expected for an El Niño event,” the ministry said.
However, ministry officials believe the El Niño phase will transition from warming to “neutral” during April to June, with an increasing chance of La Niña conditions developing in June-August. La Niña winters often are cool and wet, causing delayed snowmelt, the ministry explained.
But considering the timing of the oscillation shifts, the ministry explains there’s a good chance above-normal temperatures will be felt from July through September.
“Due to an increased chance of warmer seasonal temperatures, the below-normal snowpack could result in one of the earliest snowmelt seasons on record. This will play an important role in streamflow later in the spring and summer, with early snowmelt diminishing contributions to river runoff.”
The province is set to provide an update on snowpack and water supply at 11 a.m. Wednesday. CityNews will bring you live coverage of this event online.
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