Winter is coming. And likely a lot sooner than you think.
Two weather systems will meet south of the border this weekend, bringing snow and freezing temperatures to high mountain passes in the Kootenays and the Okanagan that may extend to the valley bottoms.
香蕉视频直播淭he pattern is difficult to say how it is going to play out, and the computer models are unresolved in local details,香蕉视频直播� says Ron Lakeman, a weather forecaster with the Southeast Fire Centre in Castlegar. 香蕉视频直播淏ut everything is pointing to an unseasonably cool air mass moving in.香蕉视频直播�
It香蕉视频直播檚 a pattern that香蕉视频直播檚 more common in November, says Lakeman.
A high-pressure mass of modified Arctic air is moving this way from the north and east, so will likely enter the Kootenays from Alberta, he says. That香蕉视频直播檚 going to combine with a typical fall low (wet weather) system from the coast. The two will clash over Washington state.
香蕉视频直播淭hings are going to change drastically,香蕉视频直播� says Lakeman. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 basically Friday night to Saturday morning we see temperatures dropping, likely precipitation and a dropping snow level. So the debate is where will the snow level drop, and where will the precipitation actually fall in the form of snow.香蕉视频直播�
Lakeman says the East Kootenay looks to be the most likely recipient of valley bottom snow.
If it does happen, it should melt instantly, says Lakeman, but it will have broken a long record.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not to say it hasn香蕉视频直播檛 happened before, but we only have one instance of it ever snowing to the valley bottom locally in September,香蕉视频直播� says the Castlegar-based forecaster. 香蕉视频直播淚t was back in 1972, we had a trace in the month of September.香蕉视频直播�
Just to add to the joy, Lakeman says it香蕉视频直播檚 likely going to be a windy day on Saturday, with the possibility of wind chill making things even more miserable.
A lot depends on the cloud cover. If the skies clear after the rain, it will likely go below zero in many locations on Sunday and Monday.
Local ski resorts including Red Mountain, Whitewater and Big White are all expecting more than 10 cm of snow.
Road crews ready, gardeners not so much
Road maintenance crews are getting ready for the first blast on the highways.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e been prepared for winter for a few weeks,香蕉视频直播� said an employee at Yellowhead Road and Bridge, which has the maintenance contract for the Kootenays. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e geared up and ready to go for this weekend, the crews scheduled have been informed.香蕉视频直播�
The news of the impending frost and snow has gardeners battening down the hatches.
香蕉视频直播淭he end is near!香蕉视频直播� said one poster on Farm the Kootenays, a Facebook group.
香蕉视频直播淲e picked our [tomatoes] today, I do not want them to get too cold on the vine,香蕉视频直播� added another.
While many vegetables 香蕉视频直播� cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli 香蕉视频直播� can take some cold, other plants are going to get wiped out by the cold temperatures. Kiss your cucumbers and watermelons goodbye.
Other gardeners are hoping tarps and plastic sheets will stave off the early frost, holding out for a nice weather break in October.
It could be worse 香蕉视频直播� you could be in Alberta. There, snow showers are forecast for Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
