File photo (Image credit: CFJC Today).
Sunny, Dry Days Ahead

‘We’ve seen worse years’: nearly normal June for Kamloops could alleviate summer hazards

Jul 3, 2025 | 10:18 AM

KAMLOOPS — A relatively normal June is setting the stage for a warmer, drier summer in Kamloops.

According to Environment Canada, Kamloops Airport recorded an average temperature of 19.8 C, nearly 1.4 C higher than normal for the month of June. It also recorded 35.3 millimetres of precipitation last month, about one millimetre lower than the usual.

Looking ahead to the summer, meteorologist Matt Loney said the Kamloops area is expected to be warmer and drier, according to the weather agency’s seasonal forecast that was released on June 1.

However, he also said the precipitation that Kamloops saw in June may leave the region with a bit of a “softer punch” around drought and wildfire hazards, when compared to previous summers.

“If we go back to April 1, we are a little bit below normal given the precipitation overall in that span of time,” Loney said. “The precipitation deficit hasn’t been as bad as it could be; we’ve seen worse years. Having built up some precipitation in the ground in the past month or two is good news.”

In the seven-day forecast, Kamloops may experience temperatures that could trigger an extreme heat warning.

As of Thursday (July 3) morning, Kamloops is expected to reach a daytime high of 37 C on Tuesday (July 8) and Wednesday, with an overnight low of 17 C in between. The heat warning for Kamloops is two straight days with a daytime high of at least 35 C with a nighttime low of at least 18 C in between.

But Loney says its difficult to accurately predict whether heat warnings would be issued because of “conflicting” data.

“The [computer models] we run on Environment Canada are a bit more aggressive with the heat coming up for the weekend into next week,” Loney said. “We’re monitoring those outcomes and solutions to see what will transpire.”

“If we’re seeing it closer to what the European and American guidance is telling us then it may not pan out to be quite as hot. You wouldn’t expect to see heat warnings in that case.”

Elsewhere, in its final Snow Survey and Water Supply Bulletin for 2025, the BC River Forecast Centre stated there would be elevated drought hazards in the summer as the provincial snowpack was 13 per cent normal as of June 15.