File photo. (Image Credit: CFJC Today)
Weather Watch

Kamloops experienced second-driest summer on record in 2026: Environment Canada

Sep 2, 2026 | 12:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — It was a nearly record-breaking dry summer for the Kamloops area. 


According to Environment Canada, 21.8 millimetres (mm) of precipitation was recorded at Kamloops Airport (YKA) during the summer period, down from the average 90 mm. It’s the second-driest summer recorded for Kamloops dating back to 1893. 

The summer total comes after 4.3 mm of precipitation was recorded at YKA for August. That amount recorded in 2026 is about one-quarter of the average 18.6 mm recorded in August. 

Environment Canada meteorologist Justin Shelley notes most of the rainfall recorded in August came at the tail end of the month. The weather agency is expecting that autumn-like trend to persist through the beginning of September. 

“We do have higher confidence in seeing those temperatures likely averaging out to be closer to normal for the whole month, a bit cooler to start and a bit warmer on the latter part,” Shelley told CFJC Today. “Precipitation wise, there’s a lot more uncertainty in the models at this time. We are going to see more precipitation over the next three-to-five days, and the next three-to-five days after that are going to be relatively dry.” 

Once the precipitation models are averaged, Shelley says the total amount for Kamloops in September is about 25 mm, which is close to average for the month. However, Environment Canada is noticing day-to-day variability. 

Current indications have Environment Canada forecasting a below-average fall season for precipitation throughout much of B.C.’s Interior, including Kamloops. 

“That trend looks like it’s going to continue into at least the early winter period,” Shelley says. “We are going to be under the influence of a strong El Nino pattern over the Pacific, which was going to help dictate what sort of weather patterns we’re going to be seeing later this fall and into the winter.” 

Additionally, Kamloops experienced its 13th-warmest summer on record. Environment Canada recorded a mean temperature of 21.5 C, up from the average 20.4 C. 

A mean temperature of 21.9 C was recorded in Kamloops in August, slightly up from the average 21.3 C.