Image Credit: Kent Simmonds

By Dylana Kneeshaw

WARM WINTER

Warm weather continues for Kamloops area with snowfall forecast for mountain highways

Jan 11, 2021 | 3:01 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Kamloops region rang in the new year with unusually warm temperatures and minimal snowfall.

According to Environment Canada, the balmy trend is expected to last for at least another week. Now halfway through winter, temperatures in Kamloops have fallen short of records but they have stayed well above average. Meteorologist Doug Lundquist says this is partly due to a lack of Arctic air.

“We haven’t seen any Arctic air, so to speak, in the southern part of the province,” he explains. “That’s when you expect air to move in from Yukon or Northwest Territories and when that happens we usually see temperatures in the minus-10 to minus-20 degree range, and we haven’t seen any of that cold, cold Arctic air. So the terrain is warm — lakes that are usually frozen around here aren’t even frozen.”

In the coming days Kamloops would have to climb into the 10-to-13 degree range to break records and Lundquist says it could be close. A cold snap isn’t the near future, however temperatures are expected to drop closer to average by February.

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While valley bottoms may be enjoying a lack of snow, Lundquist says Interior highways are still experiencing winter conditions — including the Coquihalla.

“We’re expecting maybe 5-to-10 cm (Monday), tonight and tomorrow, so all three of those time periods in that Hope to Merritt section. So it’s pretty nasty for the next 24 to 36 hours,” he notes. “And it might even warm up enough that the snow changes to rain and gets slushy. I would try and delay my trip or really plan my trip if I had to go through high terrain.”

For Drive BC updates on road conditions, click here.