Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By James Peters

Winter's Done

Environment Canada says it was an average winter — and it’s over

Mar 2, 2020 | 4:44 PM

KAMLOOPS — After an average winter, spring is here.

That’s the word from Environment Canada’s Doug Lundquist, who insists winter runs from December through February, and March 1 marks the real start of spring.

Lundquist says winter in Kamloops was close to what the numbers suggest we should expect.

“Our winter came out about -0.9 (degrees Celsius),” said Lundquist. “Usually we have -1.8, so we were about one degree above average – 0.9 above average.”

Meantime, Lundquist says Environment Canada is still finalizing precipitation totals, but they are even closer to seasonal norms.

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“We had about 59 millimetres of rain and melted snow. We usually get 60. So if that number turns out to be right, we’re pretty close to dead average for precipitation as the winter went by.”

Looking ahead to March, Lundquist says snow events can still happen in the valleys, but they’re not likely to last very long.

“Even if we were to get an Arctic outbreak — which can still happen in March — the sun has so much power in it that, by afternoon, it will feel warm again,” said Lundquist. “We can still get those frosty nights, but the days, generally, are recovering.

“Every five days or so this time of year, we pick up about one degree in our average daily high. So it’s an accelerating upward period,” she continued. “The day is getting longer, the sun is getting higher and the average temperature is all in an upward trend.”

Lundquist notes more intense winter events are still very much possible over the high mountain passes.