Severe thunderstorm watch, streamflow advisories in effect for Southern Interior

May 4, 2017 | 6:44 AM

KAMLOOPS — Enjoy the brilliant sunshine in Kamloops while you can, because a storm is brewing.

Environment Canada has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for much of the Southern Interior, including the North and South Thompson regions, as well as the Nicola and Fraser Canyon.

Forecaster Alyssa Charbonneau says a series of violent thunderstorms could hit the area starting this evening.

“We’re looking at showers with thunderstorms and a risk of hail tonight. Locally heavy downpours of 10 to 15 millimetres are possible as well. As we go into tomorrow morning, it’s going to ease off, but that risk of thunderstorms will continue into the morning as well.”

Charbonneau notes the warm ridge hovering over the province will feed the thunderstorm activity, bringing the possibility of hail.

“We have a bit of a ridge that’s currently over the province bringing with it some warmer temperatures. We’re looking at, before this system comes in tonight, temperatures could reach the mid- to upper-20s, and that feeds some fuel for these thunderstorms.”

It’s a far cry from the forecast earlier in the week, which called for sunshine and a high up to 29 degrees Celsius.

“We’re still looking at hopefully getting some sun this morning, and temperatures reaching near 26 by the afternoon,” said Charbonneau. “But we’re seeing that this system could come in a little bit earlier. Originally, we were expecting the bulk of it to come in Friday during the day; now it looks like it could be tonight.”

Meantime, the anticipated storms have combined with the spring melt to prompt the BC River Forecast Centre to issue high streamflow advisories for a good portion of the province.

The centre says the melt will be intensified by the warmth and sunshine the province is expecting throughout today, even before precipitation adds to the amount of water flowing in Interior rivers and streams.

While larger rivers like the North and South Thompson are not expected to reach “levels of concern,” smaller creeks and streams might rise quickly and overflow their banks.