Snowpack declines – but winter’s not over

Drought isn’t top of mind for most people in the middle of winter, but staff at the province’s River Forecast Centre are keeping tabs on the snowpack, mindful of its importance to watersheds across the province.

While the provincial snowpack was 107% of normal at the beginning of the year, a strong high-pressure ridge in late January delivered “very dry conditions and little to no snow accumulation, even at higher elevations.”

This knocked the snowpack back to 96% of normal on February 1. However, almost all regions have seen greater snowfall than last year and snow accumulation and retention greater than a year ago.

This is good news for regions like the East Peace, Creston and Kootenay Lake, which entered winter at Level 4 drought, while five other watersheds in the Kootenays remained extremely dry as of October 30.

This resulted in record-low water levels in watercourses in the Peace and underscored concerns about aquifers in the Creston and East Kootenays, as raised in a report from Living Lakes Canada, funded by the province, the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC, the Columbia Basin Trust, and private-sector partners.

Current snowpack readings indicate the Okanagan is most vulnerable to drought in 2026, with record-low readings at Postill Lake and Brenda Mine in the central Okanagan.

Vancouver Island is also vulnerable, having reported among the greatest declines in snowpack through late January, at 21%. While a similar decline was reported in the Peace, overall snow accumulation remains above average.

The Peace is also on track for cooler conditions in the coming weeks that could foster a greater snowpack and ensure a more even release of meltwater into the region’s soils and aquifers.

According to the River Forecast Centre, two-thirds of the province’s annual snowpack has typically accumulated by February 1.

“There are still two or three months remaining in the snow accumulation season, and snow-

pack can change significantly depending on upcoming weather patterns,” the province reports.

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1 day ago

It was another sell-out at the 31st annual Fort Langley Cranberry Festival on Saturday with organizers selling 5,000 pounds of locally-grown, fresh berries in less than five hours. Youth from the Fort Langley Lions Club's Young Lions program scooped, bagged and weighed several pallets' worth of cranberries. Ocean Spray donated the berries, which the public bought to benefit the community. Local grower The Bog was also selling fresh berries, having brought 2,700 pounds, which were on track to sell out by the end of the#BCAgt.

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6 days ago

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Love it - Deb Etsell I see you 🤩

1 week ago

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Ndp

3 weeks ago

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Photo | Barb Edmonson / Firefly Ranch, Clinton

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Feedback on changes to rules governing food processing in the Agricultural Land Reserve has drawn about 250 submissions. But the proposal now hangs in the balance with Premier David Eby's decision to call a snap election, which also delays discussions of assistance for farmers hit hard by this year's wildfires and historic #BCAght.

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What would you expect from the NDP, when they still had a 2 year mandate?

Ridiculous timing. We have people needing answers and have to plan for winter supplies. Fires are long past, months have gone by knowing there was going to be the need for support. Drought was written on the wall even before summer began with no snow pack. This is not new to government and they are calling for another year just as bad for 2027. I throw my hands up and wonder what else needs to be more challenging than what we've experienced over the last 6 years in BC?

250 submissions.... I'm pretty sure there are more than 250 farmers in BC